Selma Blair and ex-boyfriend Ron Carlson drop restraining orders against each other
The ‘Legally Blonde’ star accused her former partner of domestic violence earlier this year, which he denied
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Cruel Intentions star Selma Blair and her ex-boyfriend, the filmmaker Ron Carlson, have both dropped their restraining orders against each other, according to reports.
Legal documents seen by US press have revealed that the criminal case against Carlson, who Blair has accused of domestic violence, is still active despite the orders being dropped.
According to TMZ, Blair is still cooperating with prosecutors in the case against her former partner.
Blair, 50, filed the original restraining order against Carlson on 25 February, three days after the alleged assault took place.
As per court documents at the time, Carlson was at Blair’s house returning a TV set after Blair had just finished a multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, leaving her feeling quite weak.
The Legally Blonde star was diagnosed with MS in February 2018.
Blair alleged that, as soon as she told Carlson she wasn’t feeling well that day, Carlson started verbally abusing her by saying she was “useless” and that he “deserves” so much better than her.
The actor further claimed that Carlson soon became “enraged” and physically attacked her by “jumping on top of her body while she was lying prone on the sofa”.
As per court documents, Carlson allegedly “strangled [Blair], throttling her and shaking her head and shoulders aggressively”.
In her defence, Blair claims that she stuck her fingers in Carlson’s eyes “and he responded by covering her mouth and face with his hands” leaving her unable to breathe.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
In the next moment, Blair briefly lost consciousness when Carlson allegedly slapped her and pushed the side of her head, “causing her to fall back to the floor and begin to bleed from her nose”, the documents said.
After that, Carlson allegedly left and Blair called the police when her nose started bleeding for the second time.
The same evening, Carlson was arrested by the Los Angeles police for a felony of domestic violence. According to People, some photos taken by LA police show bruising around the actor’s neck and chin.
On 25 February, a judge granted Blair’s request for a restraining order against her former boyfriend.
Carlson also filed a petition for a restraining order of his own, where he claimed he was at Blair’s home when she asked him to sit next to her. He claimed they were both ill so he denied the offer.
Carlson claimed that Blair then became “angry and antagonistic”. He said she told him: “Your daughter is a f***ing loser.”
According to the legal documents, Carlson also denied attacking his then-girlfriend and stated that he just reached for her defensively. He added that Blair’s bleeding nose was a persistent problem and that she had complained about it two days earlier over text messages.
A representative for Carlson told The Independent: ““Selma Blair’s team reached out to Mr Carlson’s legal team and requested that the restraining orders be dropped. The TROs that were in place against Selma Blair and Mr Carlson were mutually dismissed this week.
“There are currently no charges pending against Mr Carlson and no restrictions placed on him by any court. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office is continuing to investigate whether to charge one party, both parties or no one.
“Mr Carlson has patiently and quietly stood by while the LAPD and LACA have conducted their investigation and looks forward to their decision and the truth about what occurred. Still, these continued false allegations have caused Mr Carlson and his daughter great pain, and he wishes to move on from these baseless rumors.
“While the wheels of justice sometimes turn slowly, Mr Carlson is confident that justice, in this case, will occur and his name will be cleared.”
The Independent has contacted representatives of Blair for comment.
At the Emmy Awards ceremony on Monday (12 September), Blair received a standing ovation from the audience while on stage to present the award for Best Drama, which went to Succession.
Blair and Carlson first started dating from July 2017 until around January 2018. After a two-year split, they got back together in 2020 before breaking up again.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, on 0808 2000 247, or visit their website here.