Jonathan Rhys Meyers was detained by police at LAX airport in Los Angeles, California on Sunday having used an e-cigarette on the aircraft, with the actor's wife Mara saying he is "extremely sorry for any inconveniences caused" and for any disrespect shown at the time.
The Irish actor was flying from Miami to Los Angeles with Mara, with whom he has a 1-year-old son, and it was reported that he engaged in a "verbal dispute" with her and that he used an e-cigarette on the flight, which is prohibited.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to People magazine that they received a call at 8pm on Sunday about a passenger on board the aircraft who appeared to be using a vape, with the LAPD then meeting him at the time of landing.
Flight attendants are said to have asked the Dubliner to stop vaping on the flight, with passengers noting that he cooperated with them.
"We had a situation where police received a call for service about a passenger that was arguing with his female companion and possibly smoking," People quote an LAPD officer as saying of the incident.
"Officers met the aircraft at gate upon arrival, detained parties involved and conducted a thorough investigation. We determined a male and his companion were having a verbal dispute during the flight and he got up and took a hit of e-cigarette. He was advised against by a flight attendant due to a violation of regulations and he complied."
After being questioned, Meyers was released.
Taking to Instagram to address the incident, Mara explained that they were on their way home from South America where the actor had been working through "anger issues."
"8 months of sobriety and an unfortunate day of airline travel," Mara captioned the post. "We were in South America specifically working holistically through anger issues that result in these kinds of episodes. When in it... he is not in a frame of mind where he can really even comprehend the repercussions and necessary response to his own actions."
"J IS extremely sorry for any inconveniences caused to anyone traveling yesterday," she continued to say.
"There was no argument, just me asking him to not use his e cig per stewardess' request to me and him not being himself, speaking very very unkindly. It was out of his character.
"It was unbeknownst to me anything that happened on flight, as I was with my son with a privacy wall up.
"We are home safe and he is feeling deeply sorry for any remote disrespect afforded to me, attendants, onlookers or officers. Thank you for your compassion on this ongoing battle with addiction we are in."
Meyers can next be seen in Damascus Cover, which saw him win the award for Best Actor at the Boston Film Festival. An Irish release date for the film has yet to be announced.
