Jonathan Majors says he was 'shocked' by guilty verdict as he insists he did NOT beat ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in 'crocodile tears' interview with ABC

Majors was found guilty of assaulting Grace Jabbari on December 17thDisney fired him from its lucrative Marvel franchise after the guilty verdict 

Marvel star Jonathan Majors expressed disbelief that he has been convicted of assaulting ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in what many have dubbed a ‘crocodile tears’ interview with ABC, the news network owned by his former bosses, Disney.

Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault on December 18 after a New York City jury heard how he hit Jabbari and injured her finger during an altercation in the back of an SUV in March.

Her team of lawyers presented photos of her injuries that showed a slice behind her ear and a swollen finger.

Majors has always denied hitting her. He was caught on surveillance cameras picking her up and shoving her into the vehicle after trying to run away from her in the street, but there is no footage of the incident over which he was found guilty.

Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault on December 18 after a New York City jury heard how he hit Jabbari and injured her finger during an altercation in the back of an SUV in March

Majors was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari (pictured together in September 2022) last month, leaving his promising Hollywood career in doubt

A cut behind Jabbari’s ear was also shown to jurors at the blockbuster trial

In her testimony, Jabbari said that she felt ‘excruciating’ pain as Majors twisted her fingers to grab his phone back after she took it from him

He was dropped by Marvel following the conviction, but was sat down with ABC News last night for his first interview. Critics say it was a chess move by Disney to pave the way for him to be brought back into the fold of its highly lucrative film franchise.

‘I have never hit a woman. I have never struck a woman,’ he said, adding he was ‘shocked’ by the guilty verdict.

He and his attorneys say it’s unjust that he was prosecuted ‘as a black man’ while Jabbari, who is white, was never charged despite being arrested and chasing him down the street.

‘I was absolutely shocked and afraid. I am standing there… I say “how is that possible? Based off the evidence, based off the prosecution’s evidence, how is that possible?'”

He insists he does not know how Jabbari sustained the injuries that were presented to the jury.

‘I wish to God I knew. That would give me some clarity, some type of peace about it,’ he said, maintaining there is ‘no question’ that he did not inflict them.

Video, shown to court in December, shows Jabbari and Majors scuffling on the street

Majors had been set to spearhead the next chapter of the Marvel universe as ‘Kang the Conqueror’, however he was dropped by Marvel following his arrest

‘Do you think you’ll ever work in Hollywood again?’ ABC News anchor Linsey Davis asks him

He gushed over his current girlfriend, Meagan Good, who was present for the interview. Good stood by him throughout the trial

He complained about not being able to see his daughter throughout the trial, and bemoaned the fact that no one questioned why Jabbari – a white woman – was chasing him down the street in the moments before the car altercation.

‘If you watch those videos and you reverse that, and you saw a Black man chasing a young white girl down the street, screaming and crying, that man is gonna be shot and killed in the streets of New York City.

‘That Black man will feel that.’

Despite his conviction, he said he is confident he will work in Hollywood again, saying he deserves a second chance.

The jury was also presented with audio recordings of Majors berating Jabbari, telling her she did not live up to the likes of Michelle Obama and Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has invested billions of dollars in the Marvel franchise

Defending his comments, he told ABC’s Linsey Davis: ‘It was me trying to give an analogy of what it is I’m aspiring to me, and trying to give a reference point to that.

‘I need her to make the same sacrifices I am making.’

They also heard about other past relationships in which he was accused of being abusive.

He says he was not always ‘the best boyfriend’, but blamed it on a history of ‘depression and childhood trauma’.

He gushed over his current girlfriend, Meagan Good, who was present for the interview.

Good stood  by him throughout the trial.

‘She is an angel…she has held my down like… I am so blessed to have her. The relationship is still fresh… but I think I found her,’ he said.