In a surprising turn of events, Marilyn Manson has decided to drop his defamation lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood.
The 55-year-old musician filed the lawsuit in March 2022, accusing the 37-year-old actress of defamation after she publicly labelled him a “rapist and abuser,” which he claimed was a malicious falsehood that damaged his career in music, TV, and film. Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, also alleged that Wood had impersonated an FBI agent in the process.
However, nearly three years later, Manson has dropped the case, and as part of the settlement, he will pay Wood’s attorney fees.
Michael J. Kump, Evan Rachel Wood’s attorney, responded to the development with a statement, calling the lawsuit a “publicity stunt.” He said, “Marilyn Manson — whose real name is Brian Warner — filed a lawsuit against Ms. Wood as a publicity stunt to try to undermine the credibility of his many accusers and revive his faltering career. But his attempt to silence and intimidate Ms. Wood failed.”
Kump continued, “As the trial court correctly found, Warner’s claims were meritless. Warner’s decision to finally abandon his lawsuit and pay Ms. Wood her full fee award of almost $327,000 only confirms as much.”
On the other hand, Manson’s attorney, Howard King, stated. “After four years of fighting a battle where he was able to tell the truth, Brian is pleased to dismiss his still-pending claims and appeal in order to close the door on this chapter of his life.”
The defamation suit came after Wood, in 2021, publicly accused Manson of sexual assault and abuse, which prompted multiple other women to come forward with similar allegations. Following this, Manson filed his defamation lawsuit in March 2022, seeking damages and claiming Wood’s statements were harmful to his reputation and career.
Evan Rachel Wood’s legal team sought to have the majority of the claims dismissed under the anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute, which protects individuals from lawsuits that infringe on free speech rights. Last year, the court ruled in Wood’s favor, granting her a motion to strike the complaint, and also ordered Manson to cover her legal fees. Manson’s legal team appealed the ruling, hoping to reach a more favorable settlement. They proposed offering a portion of the attorney fees and a confidentiality agreement with a “mutually acceptable” statement from Wood, but this was rejected.
Ultimately, Manson has now decided to settle, closing this chapter and agreeing to pay the full legal fees for Evan Rachel Wood’s legal team.
