Marilyn Manson has filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-fiancée Evan Rachel Wood after her claims that he raped and emotionally abused her.
On Wednesday, March 2, the 53-year-old singer, whose real name is Brian Warner, filed a complaint in the Los Angeles Supreme Court against Wood and Ashley Gore, who is alleged to be her "on-again, off-again romantic partner".
E! News learned after reviewing the court documents that Manson is seeking compensation for damages and an injunction preventing "future wrongful conduct."
In February 2021, the Westworld actress took to her official Instagram account to share a statement with her followers in which she accused the metal artist of "horrific abuse".
Wood stated at the time: "The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson. 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 more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent."
Manson, who first met Wood when she was 18 years old, vehemently denied the allegations the following day.
He wrote: "Obviously, my life and my art have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality.
"My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how — and why — others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth."
In his defamation lawsuit, he accused his former partner, who he dated from 2006 to 2010, of having "secretly recruited, coordinated, and pressured prospective accusers."
The court filing, which seeks a jury trial, alleges that Wood and Gore engaged in intentional infliction of emotional distress. He accuses Gore of defamation, impersonation over the internet, and violation of the Comprehensive Computer Data and Access Fraud Act.
The suit also claims that Gore slandered Warner, created made-up email addresses under his name, "swatted" him in February 2021, and hacked his computer files and social media accounts.