Marilyn Manson Ordered to Pay Evan Rachel Wood’s Legal Fees in Defamation Case

Marilyn Manson has now been ordered to pay Evan Rachel Wood's legal fees — a substantial sum of $326,956 — after a judge dismissed a good portion of the rocker's defamation lawsuit against Wood, his accuser and former fiancée, last May.

The reimbursement was ordered in court on Monday (Jan. 29), according to Rolling Stone.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Teresa A. Beaudet, who dismissed the case, decided the amount to be awarded Wood for defending herself against Manson's defamation and emotional distress claims, per Stereogum.

In 2022, Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, filed the defamation suit against Wood and her associate Illma Gore. A year earlier, Wood accused the rock singer of sexual abuse.

The $326,956 sum is nearly all of Wood's legal fees in the case, save for around $60,000 of the original $388,000 ask, because the judge said those did not need to be paid due to descriptions of those billed hours being too "vague."

READ MORE: Ashley Morgan Smithline, Another Manson Accuser, Recants Her Allegations

Last year, Manson's lawsuit against Wood and Gore was "gutted," according to AP News, which summarized:

A California judge on Tuesday threw out key sections of Marilyn Manson's lawsuit against his former fiancee, 'Westworld' actor Evan Rachel Wood, claiming she fabricated public allegations that he sexually and physically abused her during their relationship and encouraged other women to do the same.

Manson's suit, filed last year, alleges that Wood and another woman named as a defendant, Illma Gore, defamed Manson, intentionally caused him emotional distress and derailed his career in music, TV and film. It says they used false pretenses, including a phony letter from the FBI, to convince other women to come forward with sexual abuse allegations and coached them on what to say about Manson.

The portion of Manson's suit that wasn't thrown out in court claims Wood and Gore conspired to hack into Manson's computer, impersonate him and make a "swatting" call that caused police to show up at his house. A trial for that claim is set for May 1.

Marilyn Manson Accusations

Wood's accusations ignited multiple other allegations of sexual assault against Manson. The musician refuted the accusations. "My art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality," the musician said in 2021.

Manson added, "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."

In January, a judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by Manson accuser Ashley Morgan Smithline after she failed to hire a new attorney to represent herself within a granted window provided by the court. Smithline later recanted her accusations against Manson, claiming that she had been "manipulated" by Wood into making them. Wood denied those claims.

Another case against Manson filed by the actress Esme Bianco was settled out of court. A separate lawsuit in January 2023 alleged that Manson had inflicted sexual battery and caused intentional emotional distress against a minor. That case was filed anonymously under the name "Jane Doe."

Last September, Manson settled another sexual assault lawsuit with a plaintiff also using the anonymous "Jane Doe" moniker.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, help is available. Please visit RAINN (the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) online or dial 1-800-656-HOPE (800-656-4673).