Selma Blair has been arrested and taken to hospital following an alleged altercation with flight attendants, with her representative saying she experienced a medical emergency.

The Legally Blonde actress, 54, was taken into custody after a Delta flight from Los Angeles arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday night, October 11.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said police responded to reports of a physically abusive passenger aboard the aircraft. Officers identified the passenger as Blair and detained her while the plane was parked at the gate.

She was subsequently transported to hospital for evaluation.

Two flight attendants reported injuries following the alleged altercation, authorities said. One was also taken to hospital for assessment.

In a further development, the FBI has issued Blair a summons over alleged assaults aboard the aircraft, according to a federal law enforcement official cited by Associated Press.

AP reported that the matter would be handled in federal court in Brooklyn. No date had been set for her appearance.

Blair’s representative told ABC News: “Selma experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct.”

The spokesperson said she received immediate medical attention after landing and was in a stable condition. The nature of the emergency has not been disclosed.

TMZ reported allegations that Blair punched one flight attendant and bit another. Authorities’ initial public statements confirmed reported injuries but did not detail precisely how they occurred.

Delta confirmed that law enforcement met the aircraft on arrival. An airline spokesperson said passenger and crew safety came first, reiterating its policy against unruly or unlawful behaviour.

The airline said the incident had no operational impact on the flight, which arrived ahead of schedule.

Blair is familiar to audiences through films including Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde. In recent years, she has also become a prominent disability advocate following her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018.

She joined then-president Joe Biden at the White House in 2023 to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

There is no confirmed connection between her multiple sclerosis and the reported medical emergency.