In a legal declaration, the 'True Blood' actress insists she 'never pressured or manipulated' Marilyn Manson's ex into making false accusations against the shock rocker.
- Mar 1, 2023
AceShowbiz - Evan Rachel Wood insists she never "manipulated" Ashley Morgan Smithline into making false rape allegations against their mutual ex Marilyn Manson. The "Running with Scissors" actress, 35, fires back after Ashley, 38, earlier this month backtracked on her allegations the shock rocker had sexually assaulted her, by saying Evan had helped talk her into believing she may have "repressed" the attacks in her memory.
"I never pressured or manipulated Ashley Morgan Smithline to make any accusations against (Marilyn). And I certainly never pressured or manipulated her to make accusations that were not true," Evan said in a declaration filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, February 27, which was obtained by Page Six.
Evan also denied the claim Ashley made in her declaration that people in her circle had reached out with the intent to persuade her into targeting "Personal Jesus" shock rocker Marilyn, 58.
The actress said model Ashley allegedly contacted her first via Instagram in March 2019 - and provided screenshots of their apparent social media exchanges. They included an Instagram comment from Ashley on one of Evan's posts, which allegedly read, "when he had me captive in the stupid ballet studio, i cringed hearing him brag about replaying that scene from rules of attraction to you... i thought no one would ever talk about this..."
Evan said in her declaration the comment resonated with her as Marilyn - born Brain Hugh Warner - had allegedly sexually abused her while watching the "Rules of Attraction" film, which was information not publicly available at the time of their alleged social media exchange.
Marilyn had been accused by Ashley, 38, of raping her while cutting her with a swastika-emblazoned knife and shoving his fist into her mouth during sex, with the model revealing her claims on "The View" in June 2021 and entering a lawsuit against him.
Her case was dismissed in January after she failed to find new legal counsel to represent her, and she then claimed in a declaration, "I succumbed to pressure from Evan Rachel Wood and her associates to make accusations of rape and assault against (Marilyn) that were not true."
She added either Evan's girlfriend Illma Gore or Marilyn's former assistant Ashley Walters, who also sued the singer, contacted her in 2020 and allegedly said she should take part in group meetings of the singer's "victims." More than a dozen women have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Marilyn, after Evan claimed in 2021 on Instagram he abused her.
Marilyn has filed a lawsuit against Evan and Illma, alleging among other charges those of defamation, emotional distress, and "impersonation over the Internet." Illma previously denied accusations she coerced women into branding Marilyn an abuser, while Evan - who dated the rocker from 2006 to 2010 and was briefly his fiancee - maintains she has the "truth" on her side.
