Jonathan Majors appeared on Monday’s Good Morning America, three weeks after he was found guilty of reckless assault and harassment. It’s the first interview the former Marvel star has given since he was arrested for a domestic dispute involving ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in March 2023. Majors was emotional at times and said he was “shocked and afraid” upon hearing the verdict, as he maintained his innocence.

“I was reckless with her heart, not with her body,” he declared at one point, adding, “My hands have never struck a woman, ever.”

Portions of the interview with Majors, who sat down with Linsey Davis of ABC News Live, will air on various ABC platforms and shows. A Manhattan jury found Majors guilty on two charges last month but acquitted him of two counts of assault and aggravated harassment in a split verdict. Essentially, jurors believed he didn’t intend to injure Jabbari — but did. Majors faces up to one year behind bars. The actor will be sentenced on Feb. 6, so the high-stakes interview has major implications in and out of the court room.

When asked if he feels responsible for what happened that night, Majors explained that he regrets “stepping out” of the relationship. (The altercation in the car stemmed from an argument after Jabbari saw a text from another woman.)

“I shouldn’t have been in the car. I shouldn’t have stepped out of the relationship. I shouldn’t have been in the relationship,” Majors replied. “If I’m not in the car, none of this is happening. If I leave the relationship, none of this is happening. If I’m man enough or brave enough to say, ‘I want to see somebody else’ or ‘I’m done now,’ I’m not in that car. We’re not here. I’m responsible for those things.”

“But none of her injuries,” Davis pressed.

“Can’t say that,” Majors responded. “None of her injuries.”

After the guilty verdict, Majors was quickly dropped by Marvel, a subdivision of Disney, which also owns ABC. Everything from the choice in network, to Davis and even Majors’s outfit during his one-on-one discussion has been meticulously thought out from handlers behind-the-scenes.

“These interviews serve as pivotal moments in a celebrity’s career — either rehabilitating or further damaging it — and will be referenced continuously moving forward as well as impact potential for future interviews and projects,” Ronn Torossian, founder and chairman of PR firm 5W Public Relations, explained to Yahoo Entertainment. “While sitting down on his own terms will allow Majors to initially control the narrative, the broad reach of this interview exposes him to additional commentary, with other media outlets and audiences offering perspectives after the fact.”

Torossian said preparing for this sit-down “is just as important as the interview itself.”

“Celebrities often undergo media training to enhance their communication skills, intensifying as they approach a significant conversation, to provide guidance on how to handle difficult questions and maintain composure,” said Torossian, whose firm offers crisis PR management. “Majors and his team will have meticulously planned everything for this interview, from the clothing he will wear and in what colors, to how he will move and sit on camera. All of this will play a role in conveying the message they’re hoping to get across.”

The next biggest decision after deciding when to speak out is the where — and Torossian believes Majors’s team picked a good network.

“Choosing the right setting to break your silence has a significant impact on how the audience perceives you. In an era dominated by social media posts and Notes app apologies, opting for a sit-down with a network and journalist renowned for their work, as both Good Morning America and Linsey Davis are, makes a statement,” he explained. “Jonathan Majors has something he wants to convey, and he wants everyone to see it. GMA, with its extensive viewership, offers a broader reach than Majors could achieve through his own social media or a smaller outlet.”

Majors’s legal team was likely very involved with the prep as well. Attorney Peter Walzer, founding partner of Walzer Melcher & Yoda, told Yahoo Entertainment that “for an interview as important as this one,” they probably bought in crisis PR experts “to help prepare him to answer tough questions but also advise on what to dress and how to compose himself.” (After domestic violence allegations surfaced 10 months ago, Majors was dropped by his publicist and talent manager.) However, Majors’s lawyers likely guided him on what he should and should not say.

“If his lawyer plans on filing an appeal, [she] will advise Majors to stay off touchy topics that directly address issues the attorney will delve into. It’s important that while Majors doesn’t admit guilt, that he is contrite for how the victim feels,” Walzer explained.

Despite it being somewhat unusual for an interview such as this to take place prior to sentencing, Walzer believes now “absolutely a good time” to speak out.

“Given that he lost at trial and Disney subsequently dropped him as a Marvel star, Majors needs to rehabilitate his image,” he said. “[Majors] was on the fast track to stardom and stands to lose millions of dollars if he can’t convince Hollywood to give him a second chance.”

At the same time, Walzer said, Majors needs to understand “anything he says may be used against him.”

“As Majors is awaiting sentencing, his comments should show he understands the gravity of what he has done, and is reformed,” he continued. “He may also be subject to a civil suit. ... This is risky play, and it may be worth the risk to him. The safest play is to keep quiet. But he may have to take the risk to make a living.”

Majors said he believes he will act again. “God willing,” he said. “But it’s God’s plan and God’s timing.”