Selma Blair said that the backlash she received following her anti-Islam comment two years earlier ‘erased’ her Hollywood career. The 54-year-old actress opened up about the controversy during a speech at the Anti-Defamation League’s State of the Arts event at The Jewish Museum on Thursday, per The Hollywood Reporter. Back in February 2024 amid the Israel-Hamas war, the Cruel Intentions star had commented on a video shared by Syrian, Jewish refugee Abraham Hamra. It had read: ‘Deport all these terrorist supporting goons. Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroy minds. They know they are liars. Twisted justifications. May they meet their fate.’Shortly after deleting the comment, Blair parted ways with her agents at CAA as well as her publicity team. As she addressed the crowd this week, the actress said that she knows ‘what erased feels like’ while also reflecting on how the incident affected her family. Selma Blair, 54, said that the backlash she received following her anti-Islam comment two years earlier had ‘erased’ her Hollywood career; seen in June in NYC As she addressed the crowd this week, the actress said that she knows ‘what erased feels like’ while also reflecting on how the incident affected her family; seen on Thursday in NYC ‘The brands I worked with were gone within a day,’ she recalled. ‘A few partnerships I’d spent years building were shelved.”My agency was gone. My lawyer was gone. My publicist was gone. My book agent was gone. My book publicist was gone. My social media manager was gone. My son’s godmother was gone – my best friend.’Blair stated that most of her friends in the industry had also left aside from some who ‘stood by me.’ ‘And of course, my manager, my supposed friend of 30 years, and a Jew, was gone too. I still don’t know what any of them were thinking. No one returned my calls.’ In regards to the comment, Blair continued, ‘It offended people, and I did apologize right away.’No conditions, no fine print. I meant it then and I mean it now, and I’m leaving the comment there, because the comment was not the story.’ The furious backlash had left her fearful at the time, which then transferred to her son Arthur, now 15.’He’s a teenager now. He’s supposed to be embarrassed by me, not frightened for me. Careers come back. Years of his childhood do not.’ Back in February 2024 amid the Israel-Hamas war, the Cruel Intentions star had commented on a video shared by Syrian, Jewish refugee Abraham Hamra ‘The brands I worked with were gone within a day,’ she recalled, adding, ‘No one returned my calls’; Pictured at the event on Thursday She also said of her son Arthur, now 15: ‘He’s a teenager now. He’s supposed to be embarrassed by me, not frightened for me. Careers come back. Years of his childhood do not’Two years later, Blair expressed that she is ‘not looking for sympathy’ before adding that she is ‘working again.”I have a team now I’d walk through fire with. It’s small, and it is my team. I want you to know that before I tell you the part that isn’t better. It left a mark.’ Daily Mail has reached out to a rep of Blair for comment, but has yet to hear back. After Blair left the since-deleted comment on Hamra’s video in February 2024, the comment was condemned by Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization.The actress soon issued an apology and wrote that she ‘mistakenly and inadvertently conflated Muslims with Radical Islamists and fundamentalists, a terrible err in my words, and resulted in hurting countless people I never meant to, and I deeply regret this.’The star added that she recognized ‘how I contributed to the Muslim community being understandably very upset. I respect and love all peace-loving communities, all over the world.’It was my Muslim friends who helped educate and show me the way. I am committed to paying forward their love and understanding. We cannot allow ignorance and rage to become our downfall.’ In conclusion, Blair said that she is ‘dedicated to tolerance and peace for all who want it – not hate’ and would ‘do better.’ Blair left the since-deleted comment on Hamra’s video in February 2024 and soon issued an apology; seen in 2025 in Nashville Following the apology, it was revealed that the Hollywood star had parted ways with her agents at CAA and her publicity team; seen above in Cruel Intentions (1999) with Sarah Michelle Gellar Following the apology, it was revealed that the Hollywood star had parted ways with her agents at CAA and her publicity team. Her partnership with the Narrative publicity team had also come to an end at the time. Changes to her management and legal representation had also been made. Blair now has a number of projects under her belt, including an upcoming episode of Criminal Minds. The actress also recently starred in the Israel-Hamas war drama film Stay Forte. The premise is: ‘Three Israeli hostages – Shamiriz, Chai, and Tallaka – escaped their Gaza captors but were killed while trying to reach Israel, after being taken from their homes and held in terror tunnels,’ per IMDB.The film was released in theaters in the U.S. in March. Blair also announced a new documentary about antisemitism titled Hineni during her appearance at Thursday’s event. She previously announced her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2018, but has since shared that she is currently ‘relapse-free’; seen in September in Beverly Hills Blair previously announced her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2018, but has since shared that she is currently ‘relapse-free.’ During an interview with New Beauty in January, she offered a positive update on her health battle.’I’m relapse-free. I found the right treatment for me, finally. It took many years and a lot of false starts. But I didn’t give up.’She expressed that she was able to ‘find the right doctor’ while sharing she is still in the process of ‘healing.’
Selma Blair says anti-Islam Instagram comment ‘erased’ her Hollywood career: ‘No one returned my calls’
Selma Blair said that the backlash she received following her anti-Islam comment two years earlier ‘erased’ her Hollywood career. The 54-year-old actress opened up about the controversy during a speech at the Anti-Defamation League’s State of the Arts event at The Jewish Museum on Thursday, per The Hollywood Reporter. Back in February 2024 amid the Israel-Hamas war, the Cruel Intentions star had commented on a video shared by Syrian, Jewish refugee Abraham Hamra. It had read: ‘Deport all these terrorist supporting goons. Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroy minds. They know they are liars. Twisted justifications. May they meet their fate.’Shortly after deleting the comment, Blair parted ways with her agents at CAA as well as her publicity team. As she addressed the crowd this week, the actress said that she knows ‘what erased feels like’ while also reflecting on how the incident affected her family. Selma Blair, 54, said that the backlash she received following her anti-Islam comment two years earlier had ‘erased’ her Hollywood career; seen in June in NYC As she addressed the crowd this week, the actress said that she knows ‘what erased feels like’ while also reflecting on how the incident affected her family; seen on Thursday in NYC ‘The brands I worked with were gone within a day,’ she recalled. ‘A few partnerships I’d spent years building were shelved.”My agency was gone. My lawyer was gone. My publicist was gone. My book agent was gone. My book publicist was gone. My social media manager was gone. My son’s godmother was gone – my best friend.’Blair stated that most of her friends in the industry had also left aside from some who ‘stood by me.’ ‘And of course, my manager, my supposed friend of 30 years, and a Jew, was gone too. I still don’t know what any of them were thinking. No one returned my calls.’ In regards to the comment, Blair continued, ‘It offended people, and I did apologize right away.’No conditions, no fine print. I meant it then and I mean it now, and I’m leaving the comment there, because the comment was not the story.’ The furious backlash had left her fearful at the time, which then transferred to her son Arthur, now 15.’He’s a teenager now. He’s supposed to be embarrassed by me, not frightened for me. Careers come back. Years of his childhood do not.’ Back in February 2024 amid the Israel-Hamas war, the Cruel Intentions star had commented on a video shared by Syrian, Jewish refugee Abraham Hamra ‘The brands I worked with were gone within a day,’ she recalled, adding, ‘No one returned my calls’; Pictured at the event on Thursday She also said of her son Arthur, now 15: ‘He’s a teenager now. He’s supposed to be embarrassed by me, not frightened for me. Careers come back. Years of his childhood do not’Two years later, Blair expressed that she is ‘not looking for sympathy’ before adding that she is ‘working again.”I have a team now I’d walk through fire with. It’s small, and it is my team. I want you to know that before I tell you the part that isn’t better. It left a mark.’ Daily Mail has reached out to a rep of Blair for comment, but has yet to hear back. After Blair left the since-deleted comment on Hamra’s video in February 2024, the comment was condemned by Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization.The actress soon issued an apology and wrote that she ‘mistakenly and inadvertently conflated Muslims with Radical Islamists and fundamentalists, a terrible err in my words, and resulted in hurting countless people I never meant to, and I deeply regret this.’The star added that she recognized ‘how I contributed to the Muslim community being understandably very upset. I respect and love all peace-loving communities, all over the world.’It was my Muslim friends who helped educate and show me the way. I am committed to paying forward their love and understanding. We cannot allow ignorance and rage to become our downfall.’ In conclusion, Blair said that she is ‘dedicated to tolerance and peace for all who want it – not hate’ and would ‘do better.’ Blair left the since-deleted comment on Hamra’s video in February 2024 and soon issued an apology; seen in 2025 in Nashville Following the apology, it was revealed that the Hollywood star had parted ways with her agents at CAA and her publicity team; seen above in Cruel Intentions (1999) with Sarah Michelle Gellar Following the apology, it was revealed that the Hollywood star had parted ways with her agents at CAA and her publicity team. Her partnership with the Narrative publicity team had also come to an end at the time. Changes to her management and legal representation had also been made. Blair now has a number of projects under her belt, including an upcoming episode of Criminal Minds. The actress also recently starred in the Israel-Hamas war drama film Stay Forte. The premise is: ‘Three Israeli hostages – Shamiriz, Chai, and Tallaka – escaped their Gaza captors but were killed while trying to reach Israel, after being taken from their homes and held in terror tunnels,’ per IMDB.The film was released in theaters in the U.S. in March. Blair also announced a new documentary about antisemitism titled Hineni during her appearance at Thursday’s event. She previously announced her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2018, but has since shared that she is currently ‘relapse-free’; seen in September in Beverly Hills Blair previously announced her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2018, but has since shared that she is currently ‘relapse-free.’ During an interview with New Beauty in January, she offered a positive update on her health battle.’I’m relapse-free. I found the right treatment for me, finally. It took many years and a lot of false starts. But I didn’t give up.’She expressed that she was able to ‘find the right doctor’ while sharing she is still in the process of ‘healing.’