In what seems like an instant, Jonathan Majors, a nearly universally loved rising star in the film industry, became a controversial figure many believed to be an abuser of women. Before there was even a single detail revealed about his recent arrest, outside of the fact that he was accused of strangling a woman, many people had their minds made up that he was guilty and bound for the “cancel” train, which had reached the last stop of his once-promising career.

Now, I’ve said time and time again that I don’t believe “cancel culture” is a thing, but I do believe that, especially in the internet age, it takes very little for a pristine celebrity to have their reputation forever tarnished. It can happen in an instant. Just ask Will Smith.

Before I go any further, let me just say that even though his accuser recanted her allegation—which happened before the shocking news of the arrest even had time to settle in our spirits—there’s no way to know if Majors is 100% innocent of what he was accused of, at least not without seeing the video his attorney says proves he was actually the victim in the incident, not the aggressor. It’s not unusual for a domestic violence victim to recant an assault claim in order to protect their abuser from legal repercussions after all. And there have been claims made, at least by two filmmakers, that Majors has a reputation for being “cruel” and “abusive.”

But that’s really my point. Regardless of whether he’s innocent or not, there’s a small asterisk next to his name now that may follow him around his whole career. It’s not like he has the benefit of being white. He’s not UFC President Dana White, who was seen on camera slapping his wife, a thing that might have been a trending topic for maybe a day or two before the ubiquitousness of whiteness rendered it old news.

In 24 hours Jonathan Majors has already received more press attention for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend than Dana White did for being caught on video slapping his wife around.

I wonder whyTE. pic.twitter.com/2BzwOk0AZu

— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) March 26, 2023

How much y’all gonna bet Jonathan Majors is actually gonna lose career and respectability compared to how Ezra Miller’s still gonna be living and breathing. https://t.co/v2wwNNlqn1

— MR A (@imalvarado323) March 26, 2023

In Majors’ case, you can expect that, despite any and all updates, there will be plenty of people who still suspect he’s an abuser, or, at the very least, not the boy scout folks previously thought he was.

Two directors have shared allegations of Jonathan Majors’ alleged past abusive behavior following the actor’s arrest https://t.co/xcXZ6612yz

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 26, 2023

smth we’ll inevitably see is all the cishet men who were calling jonathan majors a gay demon trying to destroy masculinity bc he wore pink and heeled boots now defend him like their life depends on it just bc he brutalized a woman pic.twitter.com/AY89gmMADR

— tender green life (@computercart) March 26, 2023

If Jonathan Majors really has been an abuser this whole time, he’s really sick in the head. He was JUST in an interview talking about masculinity is kindness and gentleness. Men like that scare the hell outta me.

— Oci (@Ociera__) March 26, 2023

I’m not surprised about Jonathan Majors because men being violent don’t surprise me. But I truly did not expect all of this. Like…he really had the public so fooled and played up the “soft masculine, emotional” man. That was on purpose.

— Get Her, Jade! (@keatingssixth) March 26, 2023

jonathan majors did what ????pic.twitter.com/txjWqnXMGs

— Miles Morales (@MyNameIsRhodey) March 25, 2023

It really is wild. Just a literal week ago, we were all praising the actor for killing the game with back-to-back hits Creed III and Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a film he carried on his back if we’re being honest. Before now, the biggest controversy attached to the Lovecraft County star was an Ebony photo shoot deemed too effeminate, mostly by men whose masculinity is too fragile to pass a stress test meant for the toys in the bottom of cereal boxes.

But, just like that, we really don’t know about Jonathan Majors anymore. Maybe the lesson here is we just don’t know any of these celebrities enough to place them on any kind of a pedestal.

They say never meet your heroes, right?

SEE ALSO:

Filmmakers Call Jonathan Majors ‘Abusive’ In Deleted Tweets

‘Snowbunnied?’ Dr. Umar Johnson Has Questions About Jonathan Majors’ Arrest

The post Jonathan Majors’ Arrest May Have Tarnished His Pristine Reputation Forever, Whether He’s Innocent Or Not appeared first on NewsOne.