Having first claimed years ago that she'd been in a seriously abusive relationship in her past, Westworld and Frozen II star Evan Rachel Wood recently went public in identifying ghoulish rock star Marilyn Manson as the alleged perpetrator of said abuse. Wood's claims inspired other women to come forth with their own accusations against Manson, causing many to wonder if his ex-wife, the multi-hyphenate Dita Von Teese, would come forward with similar experiences from their years together.
While she didn't share any statements right away, the burlesque queen Dita Von Teese did eventually speak up concerning the disturbing allegations made about Marilyn Manson. However, she did not any further fuel to the fire, saying this on Instagram:
I have been processing the news that broke Monday regarding Marilyn Manson. To those who have expressed your concerns of my well-being, I appreciate your kindness. Please know that the details made public do not match my personal experience during our 7 years together as a couple. Had they, I would not have married him in December 2005. I left 12 months later due to infidelity and drug use. Abuse of any kind has no place in any relationship. I urge those of you who have incurred abuse to take steps to heal and the strength to fully realize yourself. This is my sole statement on this matter. Thank you for respecting this request.
Dita Von Teese and Marilyn Manson first became a couple in the early 2000s, with the musician having previously attempted unsuccessfully to get the model and actress to appear in one of his music videos. (She did later show up in the videos for his 2003 singles "mOBSCENE" and "(s)AINT.") After a few years of dating, Manson proposed, and in 2005 – the same year Von Teese starred in the award-winning short film The Death of Salvador Dali –the two were married in 2005 in a private and rather lavish ceremony that took place within an Irish castle. Von Teese revealed many years later that she felt their marriage, which she wasn't 100% into going through with, was the beginning of the end for their relationship.
A little over a year later, Dita Von Teese filed for divorce from Marilyn Manson, with the reasoning at the time being reported as "irreconcilable differences." In the months that followed, Von Teese publicly noted that Manson's rampant partying and drug use, combined with his extramarital relationship, caused her to end their marriage. Perhaps indicative of his lifestyle at the time, Manson wasn't even aware that Von Teese left him until a week later, on his birthday, when he received the divorce paperwork.
Considering they were a close-knit couple for around seven years, it certainly makes sense that fans would have questions and curiosities about whether or not Von Teese went through the same kind of physical and mental abuse that Evan Rachel Wood and others allege they suffered due to Manson's behavior. But with her lone statement on the matter, Von Teese appears to have put those worries to rest.
Speaking to her point that she wouldn't have gone through with marrying him had he treated her the way others claim they were treated, Dita Von Teese stated in relatively recent years that they eventually rekindled their friendship, according to Female First. In her words:
He was super encouraging. There was a lot of cross-over in our careers and he would have that creativeness... he encouraged all of my eccentricities. He did a whole album that was burlesque themed and we made music videos together. I can speak fondly about him now. If you had asked me four years ago I would have shut it down. We're friends now and it's fine.
Dita Von Teese is currently in a relationship with Disney graphic designer Adam Rajcevich, which started up in 2014. It's not clear if the two will ever wed, however, as she still says her final year with Marilyn Manson put her off of the idea of marriage.
In the meantime, Marilyn Manson's career has currently imploded. Following the allegations, he was dropped by his record label, which stated it would no longer be promoting his September 2020 release WE ARE CHAOS. As well, his already filmed performances in such shows as American Gods and Creepshow will no longer go to air, and he was also released from the talent agency CAA. For what it's worth, he did release a statement denying the accusations, calling them "horrible distortions of reality," though he did not say if or how he intends to refute Wood's and others' claims.
