Evan Rachel Wood
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Evan Rachel Wood (born September 7, 1987) is an American actress. She is the recipient of a Critics' Choice Television Award as well as nominations for three
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
and three
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
s. She began acting in the 1990s, appearing in several television series, including '' Once and Again'' (1999–2002). She expanded to films at the age of nine in '' Digging to China'' (1997) and garnered praise for her Golden Globe-nominated role as a troubled teenager in the drama film '' Thirteen'' (2003). After starring in several independent films, Wood appeared in more mainstream films, including '' The Wrestler'' (2008), '' Whatever Works'' (2009), and '' The Ides of March'' (2011). She returned to television in the recurring role of Sophie-Anne Leclerq on '' True Blood'' from 2009 to 2011. She appeared in the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
miniseries '' Mildred Pierce'' (2011), for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe and
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for Best Supporting Actress. She starred as sentient android Dolores Abernathy in the HBO series '' Westworld'' (2016–2022), for which she won a Critics' Choice Award and earned Golden Globe and
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nominations. Wood had a voice role in the
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animated film '' Frozen II'' (2019), and portrayed
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
in '' Weird: The Al Yankovic Story'' (2022).


Early life and family

Wood was born in
Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
, on September 7, 1987. Her mother, Sara Lynn Moore, is an actress, director, and acting coach. Her father, Ira David Wood III, is an actor, theater director and playwright prominent in Raleigh, where he is the co-founder and executive director of a community theatre company called Theatre in the Park. Wood's brother, Ira David Wood IV, is also an actor; she has two other brothers, Dana and Thomas, and a sister named Aden. Her paternal aunt, Carol Winstead Wood, was a production designer in Hollywood. Of having a traditionally masculine given name, Wood has said: "My mother had a dream that she was gonna have a daughter with blond hair and blue eyes named Evan, so that was just my name." Wood was actively involved in Theatre in the Park while growing up, including an appearance in the 1987 production of her father's musical comedy adaptation of ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...
'' when she was a few months old. She subsequently played the Ghost of Christmas Past in several productions there, and starred as Helen Keller alongside her mother (as Anne Sullivan) in '' The Miracle Worker'', under her father's direction. She attended Cary Elementary School in
Cary, North Carolina Cary is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, Wake, Chatham County, North Carolina, Chatham, and Durham County, North Carolina, Durham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is part of the Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh-Cary, NC M ...
, where she starred in its production of '' The Little Mermaid''. When her parents divorced, she moved with her mother to Los Angeles in 1997 to further her acting career. She attended public school in California before leaving at age 12 for
homeschooling Homeschooling or home schooling (American English), also known as home education or elective home education (EHE) (British English), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted ...
. She received her
high school diploma A high school diploma (sometimes referred to as a high school degree) is a diploma awarded upon graduation of high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary s ...
at 15. Wood said she earned a black belt in
taekwondo Taekwondo (; ; ) is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving primarily kicking techniques and punching. "Taekwondo" can be translated as ''tae'' ("strike with foot"), ''kwon'' ("strike with hand"), and ''do'' ("the art or way"). In ad ...
when she was 12, and that she participated in the AAU Junior Olympic Games.


Career


1993–2000: Early work

Wood began her career appearing in several
television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
s that were shot in her native North Carolina from 1993 onwards. She made her acting debut at the beginning of that year in Sondra Locke's '' Death in Small Doses''. She had recurring roles in the television series '' American Gothic'' (1995–1996) and '' Profiler'' (1998–1999), receiving a nomination for Best Supporting Young Actress in a TV Drama Series at the 21st Young Artist Awards for the latter. Wood's first major screen role was in the 1997 film '' Digging to China'', as a ten-year-old girl living with her alcoholic mother, played by
Cathy Moriarty Cathy Moriarty (born November 29, 1960) is an American actress whose career spans five decades. Born and raised in New York City, she made her acting debut opposite Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's ''Raging Bull'' (1980), for which she recei ...
, who forms an unlikely friendship with a man with
intellectual disability Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability (in the United Kingdom), and formerly mental retardation (in the United States), Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010).Archive is a generalized neurodevelopmental ...
, played by
Kevin Bacon Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. Known for various roles, including leading man characters, Bacon has received numerous accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Bacon made his featu ...
. It was shot in
Western North Carolina Western North Carolina (often abbreviated as WNC) is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains; it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It contains the highest mountains in the Eastern United S ...
and won the Children's Jury Award at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival. Wood remembers the role as initially hard, but that it "eventually led to her decision that acting is something she might never want to stop doing." The following year she had a role in '' Practical Magic'', a
fantasy film Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually Magic (paranormal), magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The Film genre, genre is considered a form of speculative fic ...
, for which she was nominated for Best Supporting Young Actress at the 20th Young Artist Awards. It was followed by the 1999 made-for-television thriller '' Down Will Come Baby'', for which she was nominated for the YoungStar Award for Best Young Actress in a Mini-Series/Made for TV Film. From 1999 to 2002, Wood was a regular on the ABC television family drama '' Once and Again'' in the role of Jessie Sammler. Her character dealt with her parents' divorce, anorexia, and falling in love with her best friend Katie, played by Mischa Barton, in what became the first teen lesbian pairing on network television. For her performance as Jessie, Wood was nominated for the YoungStar Award for Best Young Actress, and won Best Ensemble in a TV Series along with her co-stars Julia Whelan and Meredith Deane, at the 22nd Young Artist Awards.


2001–2005: Breakthrough

Wood made her teenage debut as a leading film actress in 2001's '' Little Secrets'', directed by Blair Treu, where she played 14-year-old aspiring concert violinist Emily Lindstrom. For that role, she was nominated for Best Leading Young Actress at the 24th Young Artist Awards. Wood next played a supporting role in Andrew Niccol's 2002 satirical
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
film '' Simone''. That same year, Wood was recognized as One to Watch at the Young Hollywood Awards. Wood's breakout film role followed with Catherine Hardwicke's 2003 film '' Thirteen''. She starred as Tracy Louise Freeland, a young teen who sinks into a downward spiral of hard drugs, sex, and petty crime. Her performance garnered critical acclaim, earning her Golden Globe and
Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
nominations for Best Lead Actress. During the time of ''Thirteen''s release, Wood was featured on the cover of '' Vogue'', with the magazine naming her as one of the "It Girls" of Hollywood. She similarly appeared, along with eight other teen actresses, on the cover of '' Vanity Fair''s Young Hollywood issue in July 2003. A supporting role in Ron Howard's '' The Missing'', in which she played the kidnapped daughter Lilly Gilkeson, followed the same year, earning her a nomination for Best Leading Young Actress at the 25th Young Artist Awards. In 2005, Wood appeared in the
Mike Binder Mike Binder (born June 2, 1958) is an American filmmaker, stand-up comedian, and actor. Life and career Binder, descended from Russian-Jewish immigrants, grew up in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham. During the summers of 1966 through 1975, he a ...
-directed '' The Upside of Anger'', a well-reviewed film in which Wood played Lavender "Popeye" Wolfmeyer, one of four sisters dealing with their father's absence. Her character narrated the film. Wood's next two starring roles were in dark independent films. In the 2005
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...
Grand Jury Prize nominee '' Pretty Persuasion'', a
black comedy Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...
focusing on the themes of sexual harassment in schools and attitudes about women in media and society, Wood played Kimberly Joyce, a manipulative, sexually active high-schooler. One critic commented, "Wood does flip cynicism with such precise, easy rhythms and with such obvious pleasure in naughtiness that she's impossible to hate." David Jacobson's neo-western '' Down in the Valley'' premiered later that year, in which Wood's character, Tobe, falls in love with an older man, played by Edward Norton, a cowboy who is at odds with modern society. Of her performance, it was written that "Wood conveys every bit of the adamant certainty and aching vulnerability inherent in late adolescence." Wood has commented on her sexually-themed roles, saying that she is not aiming for the "shock factor" in her film choices. Also in 2005, Wood starred in the music videos for Bright Eyes' "At the Bottom of Everything" and
Green Day Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...
's "
Wake Me Up When September Ends "Wake Me Up When September Ends" is a song by the American Rock music, rock band Green Day and the fourth single from their seventh studio album, ''American Idiot'' (2004). Written by the band's front man Billie Joe Armstrong, the song is about ...
".


2006–2008: Independent films

By 2006, Wood was described by ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' as being "one of the best actresses of her generation." Later that year, she received the Spotlight Award for Emerging Talent at ''
Premiere A premiere, also spelled première, (from , ) is the debut (first public presentation) of a work, i.e. play, film, dance, musical composition, or even a performer in that work. History Raymond F. Betts attributes the introduction of the ...
'' magazine's annual Women in Hollywood gala. Also in 2006, Wood appeared with an all-star ensemble cast as Natalie Finch in the
comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
film '' Running with Scissors''. Directed by Ryan Murphy and starring
Annette Bening Annette Carol Bening (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress. With a career spanning over four decades, she is known for List of Annette Bening performances, her versatile work across screen and stage. Bening has received List of awards an ...
, the film was based on the
memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based on the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autob ...
by Augusten Burroughs, which is a
semi-autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
account of Burroughs' childhood in a dysfunctional family. Wood had roles in two films released in September 2007. '' King of California'', which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, tells the story of a bipolar jazz musician ( Michael Douglas) and his long-suffering teenage daughter, Miranda (Wood), who are reunited after his two-year stay in a mental institution and who embark on a quixotic search for Spanish treasure. One review praised Wood's performance as "excellent." The second film was '' Across the Universe'', Julie Taymor's jukebox musical set to the songs of
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
that was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Musical or Comedy. Set during the counter-cultural revolution of the 1960s, Wood played Lucy, an American teen who develops a relationship with her brother's British friend Jude ( Jim Sturgess). The film featured her singing musical numbers, and she has described the role as her favorite. One critic wrote that "Wood brings much-needed emotional depth." Wood provided the voice of an alien named Mala in ''
Battle for Terra ''Battle for Terra'', originally screened as ''Terra'', is a 2007 American animated Action film, action-Adventure film, adventure science fiction film, based on the short film ''Terra'', about a race of beings on a peaceful alien planet who face d ...
'', a 2007 animated
science fiction film Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses Speculative fiction, speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as Extraterrestrial life in fiction, extraterrestria ...
about a peaceful alien planet that faces destruction from colonization by the displaced remainder of the human race. The film won the 2008 Grand Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. The film was screened at the
San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by SFFILM, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in international film and vid ...
, where she received an award at the Midnight Awards. Also in 2007, Wood starred in the
Vadim Perelman Vadim Perelman (; born 8 September 1963) is a Ukrainians , Ukrainian-Canadians, Canadian-Americans, American film director. Perelman made his feature film directorial debut in 2003 with ''House of Sand and Fog (film), House of Sand and Fog'', fol ...
-directed '' The Life Before Her Eyes'', based on the Laura Kasischke novel of the same name, about the friendship of two teens of opposite character who are involved in a Columbine shooting-like incident at their school and are forced to make an impossible choice. Wood played the younger version of
Uma Thurman Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress. She has performed in a variety of films, from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films. Following her appearances on the December 1985 and May 1986 cover ...
's character, Diana. One critic cited her performance as "hands-down extraordinary." Wood stated that she intended the film to be the last one in which she played a teenager. The following year, she co-starred in
Darren Aronofsky Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American Filmmaking, filmmaker. His films are noted for their surreal, dramatic, and often disturbing elements, frequently in the form of psychological realism. His accolades include a Golden Lion ...
's '' The Wrestler'', winner of the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...
, about Randy "Ram" Robinson ( Mickey Rourke), a professional wrestler from the 1980s who is forced to retire after a heart attack threatens to kill him the next time he wrestles. Wood played Stephanie, Robinson's estranged daughter. Of her performance, one critic wrote, "Once her character stops stonewalling her father and hears him out, Wood provides a fine foil for Rourke in their turbulent scenes together."


2009–present: Further film and television career

Wood co-starred in
Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...
's '' Whatever Works'', which premiered at the 2009
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
, playing the young wife of
Larry David Lawrence Gene David (born July 2, 1947) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He is known for his dry wit, portrayals of awkward social situations, and brutally honest takes on everyday life. He has received two Prim ...
's character. She later expressed regret for taking the role and that she would not work with Allen again. In May 2009, she played Juliet in six fundraising performances of
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
'' at the Theater In The Park; the production was directed by her brother Ira, who also starred. That same year, Wood was named Young Hollywood Superstar at the Young Hollywood Awards. Wood had a recurring role in the second and third seasons of the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
supernatural drama series '' True Blood'', from 2009 to 2011, as Sophie-Anne Leclerq. Wood had a role in the film '' The Conspirator'', which premiered at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., in April 2011, directed by Robert Redford (about the conspiracy surrounding the assassination of
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
). She also had a role in '' The Ides of March''. She portrayed the title character's daughter in the 2011 HBO miniseries '' Mildred Pierce'', for which she was nominated for the
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
and the
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
for Best Supporting Actress. In late 2012 she began filming '' 10 Things I Hate About Life'', a followup to the hit 1999 teen comedy '' 10 Things I Hate About You'' in which she and Thomas McDonell played a couple who meet while attempting suicide. Filming was suspended when she became pregnant with her son; when it resumed again in 2013 Wood left the production, claiming she had not been paid beyond her $300,000 advance since the production company had not been able to raise enough money to pay her for the filming already completed. In response they sued her for $30 million. Wood starred with Chris Evans in a 2010 ad campaign filmed by Frank Miller for
Gucci Guccio Gucci S.p.A., doing business as Gucci ( , ), is an Italian Luxury goods, luxury fashion house based in Florence. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and ...
Guilty Eau fragrances. They reprised their roles for additional ads in 2013 and 2016. Wood played Gabi in the 2013
psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
romantic thriller film '' Charlie Countryman'' with Shia LaBeouf and Rupert Grint. She voiced Marianne in the 2015 film '' Strange Magic''. In 2016, Wood began starring as sentient android Dolores Abernathy in the HBO science fiction Western series '' Westworld''. Her performance was praised as "spectacular", "tour-de-force, turn-on-a-dime", as well as "a tremendous technical achievement". In August 2019, Wood announced on Twitter and D23 Expo that she was cast to voice Queen Iduna in '' Frozen II''. The film was released in November 2019 to commercial success. She later featured in '' Kajillionaire'' in 2020, and '' Backspot'' in 2023. In January 2023, a workshop reading for '' Thelma & Louise'' was held starring Wood along with Amanda Seyfried. In 2024, she began starring in the
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
musical revival ''Little Shop of Horrors''.


Other ventures


Music

In 2012, Wood recorded " I'd Have You Anytime" which is on the fourth CD of '' Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International'', a compilation production for the benefit of the organization. See als
"The Story Behind '"I'd Have You Anytime.'"
/ref> She performed as electro-pop duo, Rebel and a Basketcase, with multi-instrumentalist Zach Villa in 2016. The duo disbanded in August 2017. Wood is one-half of cover band Evan + Zane, which she formed with guitarist/singer-songwriter Zane Carney in 2018. Evan + Zane put out their first CD, called ''Dreams'', in December 2022. Wood appeared on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the first time in 2019 when " Show Yourself", the duet she sang with Idina Menzel from the ''Frozen II'' soundtrack, debuted on the chart at number 99. The song peaked at number 70.


Activism

In June 2016, the Human Rights Campaign released a video in tribute to the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting; in the video, Wood and others told the stories of the people killed there. In February 2018, she testified before the United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations in support of the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Act. In April 2019, she testified before the
California State Senate The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature (the lower house being the California State Assembly). The state senate convenes, along with the state assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. ...
to help pass the Phoenix Act, which extended the
statute of limitations A statute of limitations, known in civil law systems as a prescriptive period, is a law passed by a legislative body to set the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated. ("Time for commencing proceedings") In ...
in domestic violence cases from three to five years and requires police to have additional training. In her testimony, Wood said she had been physically, sexually and emotionally abused by singer
Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He is the lead singer and the only original member remaining of the Marilyn Manson (band), same-titled band he founded in 1989. Th ...
, and that she had subsequently been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder.


Personal life

Wood's mother is a convert to Judaism, and she has said that she was "raised with the religion." In 2012, she stated, "I believe in God but I am not religious. I am spiritual. My definition of God isn't in any religion. It's very personal." Wood dated English actor Jamie Bell between 2005 and 2006. In January 2007, her relationship with
Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He is the lead singer and the only original member remaining of the Marilyn Manson (band), same-titled band he founded in 1989. Th ...
became public; Wood was the inspiration for Manson's song " Heart-Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Hand)" and appeared in the song's music video. They became engaged in January 2010, but ended their relationship seven months later. In 2011, Wood publicly disclosed that she is
bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
, and rekindled her relationship with Jamie Bell. They were married in October 2012 and had a son in July 2013. In May 2014, they announced their separation. By 2015, Wood was in a relationship with her bandmate Zach Villa. They were engaged in January 2017 and called it off that September. Starting in 2020, Wood and Bell were in dispute over the custody of their son. Bell said he was deprived of contact with him when Wood moved from Los Angeles to Nashville; Wood claimed she did this to protect the child from former fiancé Marilyn Manson. Bell argued in court that Wood's story "defies credibility", and accused her of "withholding our son from me for other reasons of her own invention." In May 2023, the two agreed the child would live primarily with Bell in Los Angeles, with Wood having visitation for "one extended weekend per month," and certain holidays. In 2020, Wood wrote a message on Twitter regarding the
death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...
of Kobe Bryant, describing Bryant as a "rapist", a reference to his 2003 sexual assault case. Many, including Bryant's widow, criticized Wood for the comment, and Wood deleted her Twitter account soon after.


Marilyn Manson abuse allegations

In 2016, Wood told a ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' reporter she had been
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...
d twice years earlier, once by a "significant other". In February 2021, Wood named Manson as her alleged abuser on
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
, where four other women made similar allegations against him. Sixteen women have made accusations against Manson, and four have sued him for sexual assault. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said they were investigating Manson due to allegations of domestic violence. In September 2022, the LACSD presented the report of their 19-month investigation on Manson to Los Angeles County
district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
George Gascón. Gascón called the file "partial", and said more evidence was needed in order to file charges. In March 2022,
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
released the
docuseries Television documentaries are televised media productions that screen documentaries. Television documentaries exist either as a television documentary series or as a television documentary film. * Television documentary series, sometimes called d ...
'' Phoenix Rising'', focusing on these allegations and the circumstances that led Wood, who was 18 at the time, to enter a relationship with the then-37-year-old Manson. That month, Manson filed a lawsuit against Wood for
defamation Defamation is a communication that injures a third party's reputation and causes a legally redressable injury. The precise legal definition of defamation varies from country to country. It is not necessarily restricted to making assertions ...
, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violations of the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act, as well as impersonation of an FBI agent and falsifying federal documents. In May 2023, a judge dismissed a part of the lawsuit that involved an FBI letter, which Wood denied forging, and another that alleged Wood and another woman named as a defendant, Illma Gore, created a checklist for other women to use to accuse Manson of abuse. In 2024, Manson dropped his lawsuit and agreed to pay Wood's legal fees. In January 2025, following a four-year criminal investigation of the sexual abuse and domestic violence allegations by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the Los Angeles district attorney's office declined to file charges against Marilyn Manson, citing a lack of evidence and the
statute of limitations A statute of limitations, known in civil law systems as a prescriptive period, is a law passed by a legislative body to set the maximum time after an event within which legal proceedings may be initiated. ("Time for commencing proceedings") In ...
. While Nathan Hochman, the district attorney of Los Angeles, said he "acknowledged the courage of the women who spoke up", he said the decision was "necessitated by the facts and evidence in this matter".


Filmography


Film


Television


Music video


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Evan Rachel 1987 births 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actors from Raleigh, North Carolina Actresses from North Carolina American child actresses American film actresses American soap opera actresses American television actresses American voice actresses Bisexual women musicians Jewish American actresses Jewish American musicians Jews from North Carolina Bisexual Jews LGBTQ people from North Carolina Living people Musicians from Raleigh, North Carolina American bisexual actresses American bisexual musicians American female taekwondo practitioners Jewish American film people Jewish LGBTQ women