Jonathan Majors raised eyebrows by invoking Coretta Scott King’s name in an interview with ABC News on Monday (January 8). The Marvel actor compared his current girlfriend Meagan Good to Scott King while speaking out for the first time since his conviction for assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari.
Majors was asked about a recording in which he shouted at his ex, telling her to act like Scott King and Michelle Obama. Jurors heard the audio at his 2023 trial.
“I’m a great man,” he said in the recording. “A great man. I am doing great things, not just for me, but for my culture and for the world. That is actually the position I’m in. The woman that supports me needs to be a great woman.”
Majors tried to explain his remarks in the ABC interview.
“It was me trying to give an analogy of what it is I’m aspiring to be, these great men – Martin [Luther King], President Obama – and trying to give a reference point to that. One of the things I also say is I need her – in that case, Grace – to make the same sacrifices that I’ve made.”
He added, “I was attempting, and I did a terrible job at it apparently, I was attempting to motivate, to enlighten, to give perspective as in to what it is I was hoping to get out of the relationship,”
A New York jury convicted Majors of one count of misdemeanor third-degree assault and one count of second-degree harassment. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 6.
Majors denied injuring Jabbari and discussed his relationship with Good in the ABC interview. He referenced Scott King again, drawing the ire of social media.
“She’s an angel,” Majors said of Good. “She’s held me down like a Coretta. I’m so blessed to have her. The relationship is still fresh, but I think I found her.”
X (formerly known as Twitter) users mocked Majors for mentioning the civil rights activist. Jokes and memes spread on social media in response to his comments.
Check out some of the reactions below.
Coretta Scott King in Heaven: https://t.co/PzRxpGznZx pic.twitter.com/igKYs5KKFt
— Hazel (@mizzhaze) January 8, 2024
Jonathan Majors talking about Meagan Good: She's an angel. She's held me down like Coretta. I'm so blessed to have her.
— Public Enemies Podcast (@TheEnemiesPE3) January 8, 2024
Malcolm X in heaven talking to MLK: pic.twitter.com/w7S7MHpHeD
Y’all sat up here and called that weird n#### Sharecropper and Civil Rights fine so now he has a Coretta Scott King fetish
— 285 Hammer (@285Slim) January 8, 2024
The ghost of Coretta Scott King whenever Jonathan Majors starts talking pic.twitter.com/Mx451hLPuO
— Timothée (@peoplescrtic) January 8, 2024
Coretta up there confused just like this every time that man say her name. pic.twitter.com/igeEcNet40
— momo 💕 (@MoniqueK___) January 8, 2024
How the King family finna pull up on Jonathan Majors for saying Coretta name again: pic.twitter.com/M8PGcBbLK9
— YNA✨ (@YannaGod) January 8, 2024
Jonathan Majors keeps bringing up Coretta because he wants to play Dr King in a movie. Too bad it’s gonna be “Who Planned This March????” on Tubi.
— Charles J. Moore (@charles270) January 8, 2024
Jonathan Majors calling Meagan Good his “Coretta” after that audio was leaked is crazy 🤣 pic.twitter.com/dYb93KQndH
— Queen of The North (@PozeKoW_) January 8, 2024