Marilyn Manson is suing Evan Rachel Wood for defamation.
As first reported in Deadline, the lawsuit, which was filed in a Californian court by Manson’s attorney Howard E King, sees Manson seeking a jury trial in a lawsuit where Manson accuses Wood of defamation and impersonating an FBI official.
Manson also names Illma Gore (who is described as Wood’s “on-again, off-again romantic partner” in the lawsuit) as a defendant.
Last year, Wood publicly accused Manson, her former partner, of abuse, claiming that he started grooming her when she was a teenager and “horrifically abused me for years”.
After Wood publicly accused Manson, other women came forward with their own allegations against the rock star. Among them were Game Of Thrones actor Esme Bianco – who is suing Manson for alleged sexual assault, physical abuse and human trafficking – and his former assistant Ashley Walters, who is suing him for sexual assault, battery and harassment.
The musician denied all allegations by Wood and others claiming that his accusers were “cynically and dishonestly seeking to monetise and exploit the #MeToo movement” by launching a “coordinated attack against him”.
Manson’s lawsuit alleges that Wood and Gore committed “wrongful and illegal acts done in furtherance of a conspiracy…to publicly cast Plaintiff Brian Warner [aka] Marilyn Manson, as a rapist and abuser – a malicious falsehood that has derailed Warner’s successful music, TV, and film career.”
The lawsuit goes onto claim that Wood and Gore “secretly recruited, coordinated, and pressured prospective accusers to emerge simultaneously with allegations of rape and abuse against Warner”
“…They provided checklists and scripts to prospective accusers, listing the specific alleged acts of abuse that they should claim against Warner.”
Another part of the lawsuit alleges that Wood and Green impersonated an FBI agent in order “to create the false appearance that Warner’s alleged ‘victims’ and their families were in danger, and that there was a federal criminal investigation of Warner ongoing.”
In a statement to Pitchfork, Manson’s lawyer king said: “This detailed complaint has been filed to stop a campaign of malicious and unjustified attacks on Brian Warner. Years after the end of Evan Rachel Wood’s long-term relationship with Warner, she and her girlfriend Illma Gore recruited numerous women and convinced them to make false allegations against him – claims that Wood and Gore scripted for them.”
NME has reached out to Evan Rachel Wood and Illma Gore’s representatives for comment.
Last month, the premiere dates for Wood’s documentary Phoenix Rising were announced by HBO.
The film, which documents Wood’s decision to name Manson as her alleged abuser, will be shown in two parts, titled Don’t Fall and Stand Up. Don’t Fall. Part one will air on Tuesday, March 15, while Stand Up arrives the following day.
Directed by Amy Berg, Phoenix Rising: Don’t Fall initially premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. The full film will be available to stream on HBO Max from March 15.