‘Games Of Thrones’ actor Esmé Bianco and Marilyn Manson reach settlement in sexual assault lawsuit

Esmé Bianco and Marilyn Manson reach settlement in sexual assault lawsuit
Esmé Bianco and Marilyn Manson reach settlement in sexual assault lawsuit Copyright RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP
By David Mouriquand
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Bianco's federal lawsuit, which was filed in California in 2021, accused Manson of raping her in May 2011. She is suffering from PTSD and depression due to her experience with the shock rocker.

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Content warning: Some readers may find details within this story disturbing.

British 'Game of Thrones' actor Esmé Bianco has settled her lawsuit against American shock rock musician Marilyn Manson, which accused him of physical, mental, and sexual abuses, including rape.

Bianco and Manson, whose legal name is Brian Warner, settled the case after going through private mediation, according to a court filing released this week.

The out-of-court settlement was confirmed to Rolling Stone magazine, and the terms of the settlement were not publicly disclosed.

Bianco’s lawyer Jay Ellwanger said: “Ms Bianco has agreed to resolve her claims against Brian Warner and Marilyn Manson Records Inc in order to move on with her life and career.”

The legal team for Manson confirmed the statement: “Ms Bianco has agreed to resolve her claims against Brian Warner and Marilyn Manson Records Inc.”

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Esmé Bianco from ‘Game of Thrones’Getty

Bianco's federal lawsuit, which was filed in California in 2021, accused Manson of raping her in May 2011. Manson also allegedly, amongst other things, cut her breasts and genitals during sex without her consent, and "used drugs, force, and threats of force to coerce sexual acts" out of her "when she was unconscious or otherwise unable to consent."

The documentation states Bianco was forced to have sex with another woman, detained against her will, and that she is suffering from PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression due to her experience with Manson.

The abuse began in February 2009, the lawsuit states, when Manson flew Bianco out to Los Angeles to film a music video. Bianco alleged that because her visa was awarded on the premise of her appearing in Manson’s film projects, he “was able to control” her “by threatening to withdraw support if she displeased him”.

Shortly after the lawsuit was first filed, Bianco said in a statement that Manson has for far too long "been left unchecked, enabled by money, fame, and an industry that turned a blind eye."

"Despite the numerous brave women who have spoken out against Marilyn Manson, countless survivors remain silenced, and some of their voices will never be heard," said Bianco, who is the co-creator of domestic violence bill SB273, the Phoenix Act. 

"My hope is that by raising mine I will help to stop Brian Warner from shattering any more lives and empower other victims to seek their own small measure of justice."

AP Photo
Westworld actor Evan Rachel Wood publicly named Manson as her abuser in 2021AP Photo

Manson has been accused of abuse by at least 15 women, and remains engaged in a lawsuit against 'Westworld' actor Evan Rachel Wood for defamation. 

Wood publicly named him as her abuser in 2021 and detailed her experiences in the documentary Phoenix Rising

Manson called the allegations "distortions of reality" in a statement posted on Instagram.

“Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality,” he wrote. “My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how - and why - others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth.”

In the wake of Rachel Woods’ accusations, Wolf Alice’s Ellie Rowsell accused Manson of filming up her skirt without consent and musician Phoebe Bridgers claimed that the singer said had a “rape room” in his house when she visited as a teenager.

A separate 2021 sexual assault lawsuit, filed against Manson by model Ashley Morgan Smithline, was officially dismissed without prejudice on 3 January 2022, following Smithline’s attorney Jay Ellwanger (also Bianco’s lawyer) backing out of the case.

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Last May, a civil lawsuit filed by Manson’s former personal assistant was also dropped.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault or domestic abuse, we encourage you to reach out for support. The European Union has established an EU-wide helpline number to end violence against women worldwide. The common EU helpline number for victims of violence against women is: 116 016.

Additional sources • Rolling Stone

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