Jonathan Majors breaks down in tears at the Hollywood Unlocked Awards

Just six months ago, Jonathan Majors was convicted of domestic violence and stalking, but that didn't stop Hollywood Unlocked from awarding him the “Perseverance Award” at the annual Impact Awards on Friday night in Beverly Hills.

“I am imperfect. I have flaws — I recognize them,” Majors said, teary-eyed during lengthy remarks after receiving the award from personal development guru and inspirational speaker Iyanla Vanzant.

It was an emotional moment for the actor, who took the stage after a sizzling video that captured some of the “Creed III” and “Lovecraft Country” star's personal highs and lows, but he was greeted to a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd. , led by Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee.

Majors continually denied all allegations throughout his 19-day trial, but in April he was sentenced to a year of domestic violence counseling. Under a New York judge's ruling, Majors must complete a 52-week in-person program in Los Angeles, where he currently resides.

On stage at the awards ceremony, Majors was in tears reflecting on the experience.

“What does perseverance mean? he said. “Perseverance means persistence in doing something despite difficulties or delays. And the God that I serve has put me in a position where I have had to embody that word more than I wanted or wanted.

He continued: “We live in a world where men, black men in particular, are portrayed as superheroes or supervillains. But I realized that I, personally, am none of those things. …I'm just that guy whose faith was tested. It was strengthened by this testimony.

The actor's legal troubles changed the trajectory of his rising star. Majors was set to play the role of Kang the Conqueror in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following his appearances in “Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania” and “Loki,” but he was dropped from all future MCU films the day of the verdict. was announced. Other film roles also disappeared, including a hit film in which he would play Dennis Rodman. Majors had already been dropped by his manager at Entertainment 360 and his advertising company, The Lede Company, following his arrest in March 2023. (He remains repped by talent agency WME.)

However, in the spirit of “perseverance” that the Hollywood Unlocked award suggests, it was announced Thursday that Majors had landed the lead role in Martin Villeneuve's revenge thriller “Merciless,” his first new project since his conviction.

“There will be times in your life when things get dark, and I mean really dark. … I saw this darkness in me,” he said. “I sat in this pitch black and what I learned is that when you see a light, you run as hard and as fast as you can towards it. And I will never take this light for granted again.

Majors then thanked everyone who supported him during these difficult times: from his family (especially his mother, his sisters, his young daughter and his girlfriend Meagan Good, visibly emotional sitting in the audience) to a group of 'Hollywood. heavy weights.

“Light for me came in many ways: in the midnight texts of our brother Will Smith. Tyler Perry breathed life into me, supporting and loving people the way he does,” he said, continuing to shout out David Oyelowo and his text group of black actors supporting each other, as well as filmmakers Deon and Roxane Taylor for giving him space in their production office.

His “Lovecraft Country” co-star, Courtney B. Vance, has been another big supporter. So was Whoopi Goldberg, who appears on Good's show “Harlem,” and Majors said, “instilled this light of wisdom and understanding and care into me and my queen.” [Whoopi] allowed us to understand the support of the community. …They are extraordinary people.

Earlier in the evening, Majors and Good walked the red carpet hand-in-hand and he refrained from doing many interviews, preferring to share his thoughts on stage. The awards show wasn't Majors' first appearance in Hollywood following the controversy. In March, he attended the 7th Annual AAFCA Special Achievement Awards Luncheon with Good, and the couple walked the red carpet at the NAACP Image Awards.

Tiffany Haddish returned as host of the 4th Annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards, held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Other winners include Cardi B (the Inspiration Award), Jasmine Crockett (the Social Impact Award), civil rights attorney Ben Crump (the Community Award), designer Christian Louboutin (the innovation prize), Fat Joe (the culture prize) and Da Brat and Jessica Harris-Dupart (the spirit prize). Although no Perseverance Award was given out at the 2023 ceremony, famous actress and singer Jenifer Lewis received this award in 2022.

Majors concluded his speech with a call to action, saying the past few years have reminded him how much we can all impact others every day.

“Perseverance isn’t just about getting through tough times,” he explained. “It's about the people who inspire you, encourage you and support us. Those who light this flame, this light, which is central in us and which allows us to continue when we feel that we cannot. I receive this award not only as recognition of my perseverance, but also as a commandment to be there for others and help them when and if their trials arise.

But his last words were for his daughter. “Your dad loves you,” Majors said, holding back sobs as he left the stage to another ovation from the crowd.