Selma Blair on Sunday evening in Los Angeles attended the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars Party, fresh off the heels of a controversy stemming from remarks she made deemed ‘Islamophobic, racist and hateful comments’ by a prominent disability advocate.
The 51-year-old actress was pictured at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California clad in a pink satin dress with a black bra and black heels.
The Legally Blonde actress, who is mother to son Arthur, 12, with ex Jason Bleick, had her hair styled in a blonde bob at the premiere Hollywood event and wore dangling diamond earrings.
The Southfield, Michigan native, who has garnered headlines in recent years amid her courageous battle with multiple sclerosis, had a black cane with her at the event.
The Cruel Intentions star was pictured with notable names such as Quinta Brunson, John Waters, Jessica Lange, Elizabeth Banks, Patrick Stewart and Jennifer Coolidge.
Selma Blair, 51, on Sunday evening in Los Angeles attended the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars Party
Blair appeared to be in good spirits off the heels of a controversy stemming from remarks she made that were deemed ‘Islamophobic, racist and hateful comments’ by a prominent disability advocate
The American Crime Story alum last month was blasted by a disability advocate over her ‘hateful’ Islamophobic post – who claimed the actress hung up the phone when she tried to confront her about it.
Maria Town, who is President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, took to Instagram to share her scathing comments.
She said that she had clashed with the Legally Blonde star, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, in a conversation that ‘did not go well’ despite having worked together previously.
It came after Blair issued an apology for leaving an Islamophobic comment on social media, claiming she ‘inadvertently conflated Muslims with fundamentalists.’
Town, who previously worked as Senior Associate Director in the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, shared a series of slides to divulge details of the apparent exchange.
Town wrote: ‘I have read Selma Blair’s Islamophobic, racist, and hateful comments. Her comments are harmful and wrong.
‘Since she is someone I have worked with, I wanted to speak to her and call her in before sharing my thoughts publicly.
Town added, ‘I reached out multiple times to her manager and to her to talk. I was finally able to speak with her today.’
Oscars 2024 winners: AT A GLANCE
Best Picture: Oppenheimer
Best Actress: Emma Stone – Poor Things
Best Director: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Best Director: Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Original Song: Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell – What Was I Made For? from Barbie
Seen left to right: Actor In A Supporting Role – Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), Actress In A Supporting Role – Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers ), Actress In A Leading Role – Emma Stone (Poor Things), and Actor In A Leading Role – Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)
Original Score – Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer
Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema – Oppenheimer
Achievement in Film Editing: Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer
Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihale – Poor Things
Make-up and Hairstyling: Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston – Poor Things
Achievement in Costume Design: Holly Waddington – Poor Things
Original Screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari – Anatomy Of A Fall
Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson – American Fiction
International Feature Film – The Zone of Interest from United Kingdom
The Legally Blonde actress, who is mother to son Arthur, 12, with ex Jason Bleick, had her hair styled in a blonde bob at the premiere Hollywood event and wore dangling earrings
The American Crime Story alum last month was blasted by a disability advocate over her ‘hateful’ Islamophobic post – who claimed the actress hung up the phone when she tried to confront her about it
The Anger Management star last month issued an apology for leaving an Islamophobic comment on social media, claiming she ‘inadvertently conflated Muslims with fundamentalists’
Town, who is from Louisiana, continued: ‘The conversation did not go well.
‘She first acted as though she did not know what I meant and asked what I was talking about when I shared I was alarmed by her recent posts.
‘I referenced her posts, and directly repeated her words. I said, you can publicly disagree with people, including members of Congress, without being racist or wishing them harm.
‘The conversation ended with her telling me, “Maria, I wish you would think for yourself for once,” and she hung up on me.
Town added, ‘As she has shared in the apology she posted recently, she told me that she meant to say “Islamiscists” and not “Islam.”
‘I responded that this change did not make her comments any less Islamophobic or racist. The conversation devolved from there.’
The post continued: ‘If she hadn’t hung up, I would have told her that you can support Jewish people without being Islamophobic.
‘In fact, you can support Jewish people and Muslim people at the same time.
The Cruel Intentions star was pictured with notable names such as Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson
The Southfield, Michigan native smiled as she posed alongside The White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge
Blair smiled in a shot opposite famed filmmaker John Waters
Blair posed with fellow actors Elizabeth Banks and Patrick Stewart at the party
‘Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism have no place anywhere, especially not within movements for rights and justice or in efforts for inclusion.
‘Racist, nationalist systems create a false choice: the idea that another group’s presence is a threat to your own security and safety.
‘Using fear to justify further harm to people is no justification at all. Using fear for your own safety to justify islamophobia and racism does not make anyone safer or more secure. It only creates more fear.’
But Town had yet more to say as she concluded: ‘When people with high visibility and an ability to influence culture repeat Islamophobic and racist ideas, these systems become further cemented in our policy, in our society, in our minds.
‘When people like me, and by that I mean specifically white people who are raised or accultured within a Christina community, do not denounce Islamophobia and associated racism and hate, because we “don’t know enough” or “that’s not our issue,” we allow this hate to perpetuate and grow.
‘When people like me – those who have proximity to people like Selma Blair – do not call out hatred when we see it, whether in one on one conversations, public forums etc, we perpetuate harm.
‘Despite Selma’s assessment of me, I do think for myself, and I know that his kind of hate is never acceptable.’
In the February 2 post, the Cruel Intentions actress called for the deportation of Democratic representatives Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, who is Muslim herself, referring to them as ‘terrorist-supporting goons.’
Maria Town, who is President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, took to Instagram to share her scathing comments
Town, who previously worked as Senior Associate Director in the Obama White House Office of Public Engagement, shared a series of slides to divulge details of the apparent exchange
The since-deleted comment read: ‘Deport all these terrorist supporting goons. Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroyed minds. They know they are liars. Twisted justifications. May they meet their fate.’
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, condemned the statement and called on her to apologize.
‘Based on the hateful and ignorant remarks that Ms. Blair made, we doubt that she has ever engaged in any meaningful interactions with her Muslim colleagues in Hollywood or other members of the American Muslim community,’ National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said.
‘We encourage Ms. Blair to apologize, and we also invite her to dialogue with our community.’
Last month, Blair returned to social media to post a lengthy apology.
‘This is a time of great pain and anguish for many around the world, but it is also a time to learn and better understand how words matter,’ she wrote.
Blair claimed she had commented on a post ‘regarding two congress members who are against banning October 7th Hamas terrorists from entering the USA.’
The original post criticized Bush and Tlaib for voting present on the ‘No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act,’ which would prevent foreign nationals who participated in or facilitated the October 7 Hamas attacks from seeking immigration-related relief in the United States.
‘In my comment, I 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,’ Blair continued, adding that she swiftly deleted the comment.
Maria concluded: ‘When people with high visibility and an ability to influence culture repeat Islamophobic and racist ideas, these systems become further cemented in our policy, in our society, in our minds’
The February 2 comment called for the deportation of Democratic representatives Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, deeming them ‘terrorist-supporting goons’ and asserting ‘Islam has destroyed Muslim countries’
She ended the apology by reaffirming her support for marginalized communities and promising to ‘do better’
‘I erred in my writing and I fully recognize 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 becomes (sic) our downfall.’
Blair ended the apology by reaffirming her support for marginalized communities and promising to ‘do better.’
Oscar winners 2024 full list – see who received trophies for this year’s Academy Awards
Best Picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Oppenheimer was the biggest winner of the night with seven including top honor Best Picture; Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, and Charles Roven are seen
Best Director
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall
Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening, Nyad
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Emma Stone, Poor Things – WINNER
Emma Stone earned a shock win in the Actress in a Leading Role category for Poor Things
Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Actress in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
America Ferrera, Barbie
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers – WINER
Da’Vine Joy Randolph triumphed in the Actress in a Supporting Role category for The Holdovers
Actor in a Supporting Role
Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer – WINNER
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Animated Feature Film
The Boy and the Heron – WINNER
Elemental
Nimona
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Cinematography
El Conde
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer, Hoyte van Hoytema – WINNER
Poor Things
Original Screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet and Arthur Harari – WINNER
The Holdovers, David Hemingson
Maestro, Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer
May December, Samy Burch (Story b Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik)
Past Lives, Celine Song
Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction, Cord Jefferson – WINNER
Barbie, Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach
Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan
Poor Things, Tony McNamara
The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer
Cord Jefferson won Adapted Screenplay for American Fiction
Achievement in Production Design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things, Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek – WINNER
Achievement in Sound
The Creator
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone of Interest, Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn – WINNER
Original Song
‘The Fire Inside’ from Flamin’ Hot
‘I’m Just Ken’ from Barbie
‘It Never Went Away’ from American Symphony
‘Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)’ from Killers of the Flower Moon
‘What Was I Made For?’ from Barbie, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell – WINNERS
Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell earned Original Song for Barbie’s What Was I Made For?
Original Score
American Fiction
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson – WINNER
Poor Things
Live Action Short Film
The After
Invincible
Knight of Fortune
Red, White and Blue
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson and Steven Rales – WINNER
Animated Short Film
Letter to a Pig
95 Senses
Our Uniform
Pachyderme
WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko – WINNER
WAR IS OVER! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko won Animated Short Film; Dave Mullins and Brad Booker pictured
Documentary Feature Film
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
The Eternal Memory
Four Daughters
To Kill a Tiger
20 Days in Mariupol – WINNER
Documentary Short Film
The ABCs of Book Banning
The Barber of Little Rock
Island in Between
The Last Repair Shop – WINNER
Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó
International Feature Film
Io Capitano, Italy
Perfect Days, Japan
Society of the Snow, Spain
The Teachers’ Lounge, Germany
The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom – WINNER
The Zone Of Interest took home two Oscars including International Feature Film; Jonathan Glazer and James Wilson are pictured
Makeup and Hairstyling
Golda
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Poor Things, Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston – WINNER
Society of the Snow
Achievement in Costume Design
Barbie
Killers of the Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things, Holly Waddington – WINNER
Achievement in Film Editing
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer, Jennifer Lame – WINNER
Poor Things
Visual Effects
The Creator
Godzilla Minus One, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima – WINNER
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Godzilla Minus One won the Visual Effects award as Masaki Takahashi, Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya and Tatsuji Nojima are pictured
