In a recent Channel 4 documentary titled "Marilyn Manson Unmasked," actress Evan Rachel Wood leveled charges against her former partner, rock musician Marilyn Manson, of rape, claiming he assaulted her on his music video set for "Heart-Shaped Glasses."

Then-19-year-old Wood alleged that what she had been told would be a simulated sex scene quickly became something far more traumatic.

She claimed in the documentary that when they were filming, Manson—whose real name is Brian Hugh Warner—got violent and started ripping her clothes off. Wood told the station she was left crying after the incident, saying she felt that he "violated" her.

"I heard the word 'cut' and saw the crew walk off. I was just kind of sitting on the bed naked, just crying. I felt so f***ing violated," she said in the documentary, as quoted by Daily Mail. For years she did not call the incident rape, but in hindsight, she said it was.

Wood's allegations were denied by Manson's attorney, Howard King, who claimed multiple witnesses were present during filming and that the allegations were "demonstrably false."

He, of course, has reiterated that it was a staged scene and that Manson left his clothes on for the duration of the shoot.

Other women who have made similar allegations against Manson are also featured in the documentary.

In 2021, Manson was sued by actress Esme Bianco — star of "Game of Thrones" — for sexual assault and human trafficking while they dated. Bianco alleged incidents of physical abuse and involuntary confinement.

The 55-year-old Manson has been accused of abuse by numerous women over the years but has denied wrongdoing. He dropped a defamation lawsuit against Wood in November 2024 after a judge ordered him to pay her $327,000 in legal fees.

Wood has been a vocal proponent for abuse survivors and has taken to her social media, as reported by LA Times, to call attention to issues of consent and accountability in Hollywood. She previously described her abuser on Instagram (now set private) as Manson, claiming he had groomed her from a young age.

"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."

"Marilyn Manson Unmasked" is a documentary that explores these allegations in greater detail while also looking into the dark side of fame and the effects of abuse on victims. The timing of the release follows recent conversations surrounding accountability in entertainment and listening to survivors.

Originally published on Music Times

Tags
Evan Rachel Wood, Marilyn Manson