Marilyn Manson sues Evan Rachel Wood for defamation
Manson's suit against Wood, who's accused him of domestic abuse and sexual assault, comes just two weeks before new documentary Phoenix Rising airs on HBO
Brian Hugh Warner, better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson, has sued his former partner Evan Rachel Wood today, on charges of defamation. Warner claims that the Westworld actor has defamed him by making statements that Warner abused and sexually assaulted her for years during their former relationship, which began when Wood was 18, and Warner was 37. Wood has long spoken about a former abusive partner, but only formally revealed that the man in question was Warner in February of 2021.
Wood’s allegations against Warner—which include statements featured in the upcoming HBO documentary Phoenix Rising, where she discusses how Warner “essentially raped” her during the filming of a music video—have led several other women to come forward with their own allegations against him, including Game Of Thrones actor Esmé Bianco. Wood has also worked in recent years to extend the statute of limitations in domestic violence cases in California through her advocacy for the Phoenix Act, a campaign that’s not hard to see as linked to her experiences with Warner.