Actress Evan Rachel Wood testified in April 2019 before a committee in California, denouncing and revealing details of an abusive relationship she was in years prior . Although she did not name her former partner, the chronology of Wood's public life seemed to align with her relationship with her ex-fiancé Marilyn Manson .
Last week, the artist refused to comment on the controversy, hanging up the phone during an interview with Metal Hammer , which justified the sensitive question as a way to converse and not accuse, to hear Manson's side of the story, which he refused. Now, the artist's representatives have intervened in the situation, officially commenting on the case and the interview with the magazine.
Statement from Manson's representatives to Metal Hammer [via NME ]:
“Personal testimony is just that, and we don’t think it’s appropriate to comment on it. You then go on to talk about Manson being accused of ‘terrible things’ by unidentified ‘critics,’ but you offer no guidance on who these critics are and what these things are, so it’s not possible to comment. Then you mention Mickey Rourke [the man Wood claimed on social media was not her abuser]. It is my understanding that Evan Rachel Wood dated several people around the time she was dating Manson [from 2007 to 2010]. A basic internet search will yield a number of other names that haven’t come up in any of our discussions.”
“His next points address comments Manson made to Spin in 2009. His confusion regarding the timeline of this is extremely troubling. The comments in Spin where Manson had a fantasy of using a sledgehammer on Evan and cutting himself 158 times was obviously an interview by a theatrical rock star promoting a new album, not a factual account. The fact that Evan and Manson got engaged six months after that interview would indicate that nobody interpreted this story literally.”
the Me Too [anti-harassment movement] , and specifically the experiences of his former partner Rose McGowan . These are all issues that Manson has addressed publicly and are available online. See the Channel 4 interview from December 15, 2017.”
“Manson has never shied away from public comment – equally, he doesn’t have to make ‘the same comment twice’. There will be no more comments on specific songs. His journalist had the opportunity to ask Manson about his music – one of only two interviews he has given in the UK – and he chose not to. Trying to weave a section of a song by an artist with over 30 years of career to fit into a narrative is deceitful and problematic.”
“You mention Manson’s ex-fiancée, Rose McGowan, in your questions. Rose is one of the most courageous and outspoken leading figures in the Me Too . Manson remains friends with McGowan, and she speaks very fondly of their three and a half years together. There are several sources around the world. I connect this to a Washington Post about McGowan’s memoirs, Brave .”
“You didn’t mention Manson’s ex-wife, Dita Von Teese , who remains a good friend of Manson’s. Quoting a Female First published in 2018, ‘Dita admits she was ‘lucky’ to have avoided abusive episodes in the entertainment industry during her career.’”
“There are also numerous articles over several years where Evan Rachel Wood speaks very positively about her relationship with Manson. In The Edit of NetAPorter : 'I wouldn't trade anything about [our relationship],' Wood told the magazine. 'I appreciate everything he taught me. I just don't think we were right for each other.'”
“Finally you talk about death threats. Manson knows all about them – he’s had plenty. He’s spent his career being blamed for everything from Columbine to teen suicides. Unfortunately, we live in a time when people believe what they read on the internet and feel free to say whatever they want without any real evidence. The effects can be catastrophic, and promoting unfactual information is utterly irresponsible. All we can try and do, as media and individuals, is to use facts and truths and not hide behind gossip and conjecture to further our own agendas.”