Marilyn Manson Drops Lawsuit Against Evan Rachel Wood, Will Pay Her Attorney Fees

In March 2022, Marilyn Manson filed a lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood for defamation after she accused the disgraced musician of grooming and abuse. Manson’s defamation lawsuit was mostly dismissed by the judge the following year, and now he has dropped the case.

According to Rolling Stone, Manson — real name Brian Warner — also abandoned a related appeal trying to revive his previous defamation claim, and he has agreed to pay almost $327,000 in Wood’s attorneys’ fees.

Wood’s attorneys told the magazine that this past spring Warner sought to settle the suit while he was appealing a judge’s rulings against him. He originally offered to pay a portion of Wood’s fees in return for keeping the settlement confidential instead of sharing a mutually agreed-upon statement. Wood declined the offer, and Warner later agreed to her terms.

A rep for Wood 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. 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.

Warner’s attorney told Rolling Stone, “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.”

If you or someone you know is undergoing sexual abuse, please visit rainn.org or contact the National Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-800-656-4673.