Evan Rachel Wood has shared a detailed theory about Marilyn Manson’s alleged use of cult tactics and manipulation. The interview was published on Andrew Gold’s YouTube channel.
Wood alleged in 2021 that she was groomed as a teenager by Manson before being “horrifically abused” and “brainwashed” by him. In the interview, she spoke about her belief that Manson deliberately studied cults and mind control techniques to use on women.
“If you take a wander in his library … he had a lot of books on cults and a lot of books on mind control and manipulation,” Wood said. “He also studied cults and things like that as well.”
Wood went on to explain that she believes Manson was highly knowledgeable about these tactics and how to apply them.
“Cults have different names and different styles but ultimately they’re the same tactics,” she continued. “I think he was very, very well-versed in these tactics.”
Wood also described how Manson allegedly made clear he would retaliate against anyone who spoke out against him.
“He also made it very clear that he would retaliate against anybody that went against him or, in his words, ‘betrayed’ him in any way,” she said. “And a betrayal would be to expose him. I think he was also very well-versed on what to do if that ever happened and how he would retaliate.”
When asked whether she believed Manson was a psychopathic narcissist, Wood reflected on how her perspective evolved over time.
“I think so, yeah,” she said. “I think there was a time when I wanted to believe that there were maybe still good times and that we had just had a few bad times. But the more I started to read the stories that were popping up online, the more people that contacted me and told me their stories, there was just no way to think otherwise.”
Wood’s latest comments come against the backdrop of a years-long legal and public battle. The case has moved through courts, investigations, and competing claims, making her renewed focus on Manson’s alleged psychological methods all the more striking.
Wood first publicly named Manson — whose real name is Brian Warner — in an Instagram post in February 2021. She stated that he “began grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years.” Manson denied the allegations, calling them “horrible distortions of reality.” Four other individuals came forward alongside Wood at the time, each making their own allegations of abuse.
In November 2024, Manson withdrew his defamation lawsuit against Wood. In the suit, he had accused her of recruiting women to fabricate claims against him. He also agreed to pay her approximately $327,000 in legal fees. The withdrawal marked a significant legal victory for Wood, who had spent years fighting the suit while continuing to speak publicly about her alleged experiences.
Despite that outcome, the criminal side of the case did not result in charges. In January 2025, the Los Angeles District Attorney announced that no criminal charges would be filed against Manson following a four-year investigation. The decision was attributed to insufficient evidence and the statute of limitations. Wood responded publicly, expressing her concerns about the outcome.
The legal proceedings were further complicated by a counter-narrative that emerged during the defamation case. Ashley Morgan Smithline, a former accuser, filed a declaration claiming that Wood had pressured and manipulated her into making false allegations. Wood denied the claims, stating that Smithline had contacted her first. She also provided evidence that Manson’s legal team had intimidated Smithline into retracting her accusations. A judge later dismissed several elements of Manson’s suit, including claims that Wood had forged an FBI letter or created a checklist for accusers.
As recently as April 2026, Wood stated that she continues to face intimidation, including being followed by cars and phishing attempts on her computer. Despite the resolution of the defamation case, the pressures she described in her interview remain an ongoing reality.
