Evan Rachel Wood accuses Marilyn Manson of grooming and abuse: ‘I was brainwashed’

Actor Evan Rachel Wood has accused musician Marilyn Manson of grooming her and subjecting her to abuse “for years”.

The Golden Globe-nominated star of the hit series Westworld, 33, shared a post on her Instagram page on Monday 1 February in which she detailed the allegations.

“The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” Wood wrote.

“He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail.

“I am here to expose this dangerous man and call out the many industries that have enabled him, before he ruins any more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent.”

Following Wood’s post, at least four other women shared their own allegations against Manson, including sexual assault, psychological abuse, and various forms of violence, coercion and intimidation.

The Independent has contacted Manson’s representative for comment.

Manson’s team has categorically denied similar allegations in the past.

Manson and Wood began their relationship in 2007, when Wood was 18 and Manson was 36. They were engaged in January 2010, but called off their relationship seven months later.

In 2009, Manson was quoted in a Spin article as saying of Wood: “I have fantasies every day about smashing her skull in with a sledgehammer.”

When Metal Hammer repeated this quote as part of an interview with Manson last year, his PR team responded by saying the comment was “obviously a theatrical rock star interview promoting a new record, and not a factual account”.

Wood described an abusive relationship she had been in for several years with a man she met in her late teens during testimony given to the California Senate Public Safety Committee in April 2019.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, on 0808 2000 247, or visit their website here.