Selma Blair Breaks Silence on JFK Airport Arrest: 'There Was No Attempt to Open the Aircraft Door'

A week after her highly publicised arrest at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, Selma Blair has spoken out through her representative, pushing back on what she describes as a flood of speculation that has "hardened into something being treated as fact."

The 54-year-old actress was taken into custody on October 11 following an in-flight altercation involving a flight attendant, a police officer and a nurse. She was subsequently taken to a hospital alongside the flight attendant, and later appeared in court, where she pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree assault. Blair was released on bail and, if found guilty, could face up to seven years in prison.

Blair's team sets the record straight

In a statement provided to PEOPLE by her representative, Blair said she had a "medical emergency" on board her flight. The statement also sought to address rumours that had proliferated during the star's silence in the past week.

"Fair reporting has been the exception, and in the space left by our silence, speculation has hardened into something being treated as fact. We can, however, correct the record on a few points already in public circulation. Selma Blair experienced a medical emergency on the flight. There was no attempt to open the door of the aircraft. Selma did not intend to harm anyone," the statement read.

The statement also tackled allegations questioning whether the actress' multiple sclerosis diagnosis was genuine.

"The suggestion by anyone that Selma does not have multiple sclerosis is outrageous. Her diagnosis has been public since 2018. What Selma has been able to do physically in the years since is nothing short of a miracle. She still has bad days, and she lives with pain daily," it added.

Pseudobulbar affect and a service dog taken away

In the statement, it was further revealed that alongside her multiple sclerosis, Blair also suffers from pseudobulbar affect, a neurological issue described as "secondary" to MS. Her team said this condition was central to what unfolded on the flight.

"Which bears directly on how a medical episode presents to people who do not know her. For the same reason, she travels with a service dog who doesn't leave her side, and the authorities took her dog from her," they shared.

According to the statement, Blair's year has been an exhausting one, spanning the launch of her own products and roles in multiple films — a schedule her representatives called exhaustive.

The statement concluded: "There is much more to this story than has been reported, and we ask to consider the entirety of the facts before rushing to judgment, whether in the courtroom or in the court of public opinion."

A week of legal trouble

Per earlier reports, Blair got into an altercation with a flight attendant, a police officer and a nurse on October 11. Her lawyer told the court that she was extremely exhausted and that the incident was unintentional. Reportedly, she injured one officer responsible for transporting her to the hospital, as well as one of the nurses present at the medical facility.

With charges still pending and Blair having entered a not guilty plea, her representatives are now urging the public to hold back judgment until the full facts of the case emerge.