Back in March of 2022, Marilyn Manson filed a lawsuit against Evan Rachel Wood for defamation after she accused him of grooming and abuse — Wood was just one of many women who've come forward against Manson in the past few years. Manson's subsequent defamation lawsuit against Wood was largely dismissed by the judge in 2023, and now he's dropped the case entirely.
As reported by Rolling Stone, Manson — real name Brian Warner — also abandoned a related appeal attempting to revive his previous defamation claim, and he's agreed to pay almost $327,000 USD in Wood's attorneys' fees.
Wood's attorneys told Rolling Stone that Warner wanted to settle the suit this past spring while he was appealing a judge's rulings against him. He originally offered to pay a portion of Wood's fees instead of sharing a mutually agreed-upon statement, in return for keeping the settlement confidential. Wood declined the offer, and Warner later agreed to her terms.
In a statement, a representative 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."
