AceShowbiz -

Though she no longer dates Marilyn Manson, Evan Rachel Wood admits she will "always love and respect" the goth rocker. The 21-year-old actress told US Weekly at Hollywood Life's Behind the Camera Awards at The Highlands on Sunday, November 9 in Hollywood that she perceives her split from Marilyn not as "a bad thing", reasoning, "It's life - it happens."

On the mounting rumors claiming she dumped Marilyn after he kicked her brother, Ira, out of his guest house, Evan commented, "it's not the nasty thing everybody thinks it is." She went on insisting that she and Marilyn "got incredible things going on right now" adding, "I'm doing fine, you know, as best as can be expected."

Speaking about reports that she is romancing her "The Wrestler" co-star Mickey Rourke, Evan explained, "Everybody thinks we're dating, and we're not. Spread the word - I'm not dating Mickey Rourke!". She continued, "You know, we developed a close friendship. He's a great guy, a talented guy. He's been through it all, and [we had] such intense shoots, I think, because we played father and daughter [in The Wrestler]. I think he's just kind of trying to take me under his wing."

Evan began dating Marilyn in December 2006 while he was waiting for his divorce to burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese to be finalized. They broke up last month.