Evan Rachel Wood just gave birth to her first child in July. It was a natural, home birth (which I know from her husband Jamie Bell’s Twitter) and everything seems to be going well for ERW. We know she had a boy, but she and Jamie have not released the baby’s name, nor will they in the future, I guess. Evan is currently promoting her role in Charlie Countryman, that weird-looking Shia LaBeouf film where he plays a young man who just lost his mom, and he flies to Romania and falls in love instantly with Evan’s character, who is dating some gangster played by Mads Mikkelsen. It looks interesting, but not particularly… must-see. But I am happy that we’re getting some new interviews with Evan. She gave a longish interview to The Daily Beast which you can read here – here are some highlights:
ERW on whether love-at-first-sight is real: “Absolutely. I fell in love with my husband that way.”
Protecting her son: “People obviously know I was pregnant—can’t hide that—so I have no problem talking about the baby and that we’re doing really well. But I haven’t released his name. I’ve done my best to keep his picture from being taken, just because kids don’t really have a choice in the matter. It’s such a shame when kids get harassed just because of who their parents are before they’re old enough to decide who they are or who they want to be.”
On her love of all things Justin Bieber: “I can’t imagine what it’s like to be him. When you’re a teenager in an adult career, people expect you to be perfect and expect you to never make mistakes or to be a reckless teenager. And then when you are, they give you such a really hard time for it. You have to remind them that you’re still a kid.”
Does she see herself in Bieber’s antics? “I was never a Bieber or a Cyrus, but I think the judgment was there, sure.”
Dating Marilyn Manson at the age of 19: “People were pretty mean. At the time I hadn’t yet been exposed to that kind of cruelty from strangers.” Barely an adult, Wood saw herself plastered on the covers of tabloids with kneejerk, standard fare cover lines splashed across her image: What Is She Thinking? “If people were wondering why I was acting so-called crazy or like a teenager, it’s because I was. People go through phases. People make mistakes. People go through life and don’t get it right every time.”
On teenage antics and judgment: “Like, do people remember when they were that age? On this global level, people freak out. They like to be high and mighty and say, ‘Oh, look at that person. I’ve never done anything like that.’ But yes you have. Everyone’s been a crazy kid.”
In case you missed it, Evan relates to the Biebers and Mileys of the world because she too had a crazy time of it when she was that age, and she’s been acting since she was 9 years old. I do think that people should keep in mind that everyone goes through a stupid phase in their late teens when they get those first tastes of freedom, when they experiment with things and feel invincible. I think that describes Miley more than Justin Bieber – Miley has been famous for so long, and she’s just doing all this dumb stuff for attention. The Bieber stuff feels different, to me at least. But yes, Evan is always going to be the girl who dated Marilyn Manson when she was 19. Poor Evan. But at least she came out of it a better person. And Jamie Bell just adores her. It’s lovely.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I don’t know how she didn’t win that Emmy for Mildred Pierce. For anyone who has not seen it, go see it. It’s excellent, and she is outstanding in it. I find her the most underrated actress of her generation.
agreed, she is lovely.
Mildred Pierce was da bomb! Guy Pierce was phenominal as was Kate Winslet. This is truly a must see movie.
Mildred Pierce was great! I wonder if its on Netflix?
Jamie Bell is smoking hot. That is all.
People will always bring up the past no matter how good the person has turned out in the present… no in fact people LOVE to bring up the past when the person has a better present mostly out of envy, bitterness or ignorance, I’ve been on both sides of the fence and learned a great deal from it… Anyway the person Evan Rachel Wood was at 19 is different from the person she is now, i.e. she’s a loving mother and wife. And on top of that a great actress.. But people won’t let go the Manson era in the past, just like the never-ending Pitt-Jolie-Aniston story… ah well.
IF Bieber turns out a better deal in a few years then props to him, but in the meantime he’s still not getting any better, as much as Evan Rachel Woodhas point.
True. People need to be given time to grow, mature, and learn things instead of people expecting them/us to be sophisticated, demure model citizens with all our shiz together before we can even rent cars and legally drink.
People shouldn’t be judged because of their past, I agree.
But I’m sick and tired of attributing stupid behavior to young age, to teenage years. Not all teenagers go trough that “phase”. In fact, most don’t. Because most 19yearolds have to worry whether or not they will get into university, they have their entire future on their shoulders. These stupid celebrity brats are not the norm.
In your environment, maybe most 19/20-year-olds have abstained from drugs and alcohol, wild clubbing and partying, and dirty, and behavior that a family member of mine would call ‘immodest’. Maybe most people you know in their teens and early 20’s are mature, sophisticated, goal oriented, straight-laced, and have it all together. But I bet the ‘good boys’ and ‘good girls’ are the exception. (If only there was some survey that could be done on everyone between the ages of 17 and 21 to see which group is more common).
It’s not any of the above things that makes Justin a stupid brat, it’s the way he treats people. Miley doesn’t have that problem, but for the past year she’s been (slightly annoyingly) consumed with carving this image for herself as a this edgy pop icon. Hence the attention-seeking and the ‘Wow, just look at my cool image’ interviews. Her battery will have to run out eventually. I know mine has almost run out completely.
I think there’s a point where, if you made mistakes, you also have to go, “eh, so what?” Don’t get me wrong, I did some mean, horrible things in my early twenties, but you learn and you grown, and if you’re lucky, it doesn’t get plastered across the internet, and people may well forgive if you if you can demonstrate change. I look back now, and there’s a part of me that wants to recoil in horror, and I have to say to that part, no. This is a part of the whole. I am not ONLY that one action, that one day, that one horrible thing, but is a part of me, and if I can’t own the terrible, why should I get credit for the good?
The problem with celebrities is that they are stunted, they are often surrounded by yes men, and they rarely face REAL consequences for their actions. Let’s face it, celebrity backlash is being bashed or made fun on the cover of a magazine or on Fox News…real people face real consequences for their actions. They lose their job, or their relationship, or they go to jail. Their credit takes a hit, or their reputation. Their families get upset. It’s a whole different dynamic than the celebrity consequences.
Kaiser…I don’t know how you can give Miley a pass, but not Bieber…At least MC had both her parents growing up and watching out for her career. Her career trajectory on Hannah Montana, went from being somewhat known to becoming a “star” and she grew up around the business, so she had some idea what to expect…the Biebs on the other hand, didn’t have a father around, his career went from zero to 100, and I’m sure had no idea how to handle it…on top of that, all the criticisms, from he looks like a lesbian to being called all kinds of names on his appearance to his talent at a very young age…its no wonder that now he is trying to prove to everyone that he is a cool, player…and a manly, man…I could actually care less about either Miler or Bieber, but sometimes I feel like the Biebs is villified, while some other young stars get passes…
The difference between Miley and Bieber is that Bieber is just consistently and deliberately rude and disrespectful to the people around him and kind of has a reputation as a jerk. With the exception of her problematic bitchfest with Sinead O’Connor a few months ago, Miley doesn’t. People’s primary issue with her around here is that they’re fed up with her revealing clothes, nudity, and the fact that she comes off as a hyperactive attention seeker.
Another difference being that Justin actually ASSAULTS people and puts people in danger with his “antics.” He’s a wannabe thug, and he doesn’t care who he hurts in the process.
I agree. Justin was a punch line at only 14, 15 years old. Mostly adults’ punch line. And at the time, he was a sweet kid who just wanted to make the world a better place-he was (maybe still is) one of the most generous celebs, with his time and his money. You know, people want these kids to be held accountable for smoking weed, partying, experimenting, being an idiot sometimes, like most kids his age do, I wish all the adults that know better but still insist on putting others down, on being jealous and bitter towards everyone different or more successful than themselves, well I wish they’d just hold themselves accountable for this, figure out why they’re so spiteful towards others, and stop deflecting their own problems by only talking about everyone else’s shortcomings.
Anyways, back to Justin, I think it’s sad. He was so innocent and sweet hearted, wanted to use his celebrity to make the world a better place, but it’s like a toddler with a neglectful mother, if the child cant get her love and respect by being good, he will get it by being bad. Congratulations, America (and Canada)! We may have permanently lost another sweet child to a dark life, although I doubt most of the boys haters will be satisfied until they truly see him struggle and suffer. What is it in this beautiful world that makes humans so hateful towards one another
Nope, sorry. I was never one of those crazy kids. I never was wild and never had an inclination to be that way. I’ve never have or had the desire to smoke, do any kind of illegal drug, drink alcohol, go to questionable parties, nothing. Now before the former “wild children” come in here and assume that I’m trying to show off, I’m not. I’m just pointing out that not all of us go through a rebellious stage.
I’m curious, what did you do to separate from your parents?
Are you saying people need to be rebellious and drink and do drugs and have lots of sex when they’re teenagers in order to separate from parents?? I hope I’m misunderstanding you……….
I just moved out of the house and built my own life.
Added to my previous comment:
One can learn to be independent and become their own person separate from their parents with out all of that.
I went through a mild rebellious stage, too. My parents were loving and supportive, and they had rules, but the rules were more about character than anything else. You don’t lie, you do your best in school, be kind to other people, be polite and respectful. Of course I broke all those rules at one time or another, and I was punished, but there wasn’t that much to rebel against. I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have had the parents I had. Btw, I’m not blaming parents for their children’s rebellion. It is a natural part of growing up, and has a lot to do with the child’s temperament. My brother was a wild child and we had the same parents.
My case is similar; my mother was the one telling me to go out, to not dress like a nun, etc. I was raised in a place with a lot of freedom and I just never felt the inclination to rebel. So yeah, I can say That ERW is not quite right in her assessment: NOT everyone goes to a rebelious phase.
That’s another form of rebellion Diana, too.
I guess you were perfect then, congrats.
Why do people who were rebellious always have this attitude towards those who weren’t? At no point in my comment did I put down those that need to rebel, I just pointed out that that isn’t always a stage everyone goes through. Plus, were did I say or imply I was perfect? Why does it get under your skins that not everyone has to go through a wild phase?
Snarky. Jinni made a point of saying she wasn’t trying to show off with her comment, but just pointing out that everyone is different and some people don’t go through the rebellious stage. That’s all.
Edit: Oops! I posted this after not refreshing the page for an hour– hence why I basically echoed your comment, jinni 😉
Jinni didn’t say she was perfect, she just commented that as a teenager, she didn’t feel the urge to do those wild things. Not everyone does. I didn’t, especially, but I was far from perfect. I don’t understand the hostility. She was just making an observation.
I’m with you Jinny. I just left home and got a degree. Moved to overseas for a job, and eventually moved back home. I am now married and have a great husband and a couple of wonderful kids.
My SIL is always putting-me-down saying that I have lead a charmed life free from problems. That isn’t exactly true, but I was always happy to play sports,and work hard at school/work to achieve my goals. For me to rebel was just not an attractive option personally. A few of my friends rebel did and they were always happy to have a straight laced friend to call upon if they needed it, and I loved hearing about their dramas but was happy not to live it.
I didn’t either. I don’t know many people who did. Probably because my surroundings was very accepting of different kinds of people, you didn’t have to look/act in a specific way to be accepted.
But then again, I don’t understand why such behavior is considered rebellion. Getting involved politically, doing something important for your society, protest – that is rebellion. Drinking and doing drugs is just stupidity.
Depends on what your background is.
I come from the Middle East where society was unaccepting of drinking, drugging and dating, ESPECIALLY for women as you would lose your ‘honor’. So as a teenager, I flaunted all three (and still do), and I would like to see anyone come at me and tell me off for shaming my family, my society and my honor. So yes, that could be a form of rebellion and protest. It certainly is for me.
Go Leen! Never surrender!
I think you bring up a good point though about how the environment that someone grows up in influencing how a person acts when they’re in their late teens or early 20’s. If you grow up with people basically trying to bully, shame, and coerce you into being ‘pure’, it can make you want to break free by doing the opposite. I think that can be said for people all over the world, famous and non-famous.
Well said, jinni! Not everyone goes through a rebellious phase, I didn’t.
Ugh, I can’t help but don’t like her! Her husband seems really sweet though.
I’m not judging her, but I think it should be allowed to discuss if a 19-year-old girl should date someone like Manson, who was what, 40 years? Because she was, like she said, barely an adult, and clearly older men can take advantage of that.
I agree. This interview was annoying on a lot of levels. Talented actress, but I don’t think I like her.
How far up your own ass do you have to be when you’re surprised that people have a reaction to you dating someone twice your age, especially someone like Marilyn Manson?
I’m not buying the narrative that she’s so naïve and was completely “taken aback” by the public’s reaction. I think she’s more precocious than that.
She just strikes me as really cold and calculating, not very warm and genuine. Maybe she’s just very protective or something…
I kind of agree – I think she’s really beautiful and talented, but she definitely doesn’t seem like a warm person. But maybe she’s learned to be more detached publicly, who knows what she’s like in person.
It’s one thing dating someone like Manson at 19, but what I’ve always found low was that she transformed herself into a Dita clone during their relationship.
It’s also funny how she wants to rewrite the narrative of her and Jamie, she dumped him for Manson.
If I’m not mistaken, she got judged not just b/c of the Marilyn Manson thing — but b/c she broke up Marilyn Manson’s marriage to Dita von Teese. I had almost forgotten about that. Good job reminding everyone, Evan Rachel Wood.
Even if it wasn’t the marriage, pretty sure she’d still be judged, and well rightfully so because of the age difference raising eyebrows. I mean I’m side-eyeing J. Phoenix big time for the toddler he’s dating so…
I just looked at that thread. Personally, I think people are too judgy about couples with 15-20-year age differences, and are so quick to demonize the older party (especially if the older person has a penis, then he gets called a misogynistic pervert or something) while portraying the younger party as some poor little victim. If a person wants to get with someone 20 years older or younger than them, so what? As long as they’re both consenting adults, I see no problem with it. Free love, people.
Marilyn Manson broke up his own marriage with his drug use, it wasn’t ERW. He was seriously abusing substances and drove Dita away. I always thought that was why he groomed ERW that way, to try to fix what he completely screwed up.
+1
No, I remember a Dita interview in which she specifically said it was Manson’s ongoing relationship with a much younger woman that broke the marriage apart. like ERW fine, but I will be team Dita 4EVAH on this one.
This attitude really irritates me. MM broke up his own marriage. HE cheated, not ERW. He was a major substance abuser and apparenly a pretty awful person all around. I don’t think the blame for that break-up should be placed on ERW.
Dita has even said that it was his drug abuse that broke their marriage.
I respect your opinion; however, it’s mine that if a man is married, you keep your biscuit covered. ERW may not have been the sole reason why; however, she certainly wasn’t an innocent party in this.
No one can match the stupidity of a teenage girl. I’ve always thought that admidst his marriage crumbling, MM saw a malleable young girl who was fascinated with him, and he took the chance to try to recreate his relationship with Dita, and to continue unimpeded in his addiction. Do I think ERW should have backed off a married guy? Of course. But seriously, no one can delude themselves like a teenager, especially a teenager with an older man (”he says I’m just so much more mature than other girls my age”). And he really did drive Dita away. She’s talked about how bad his substance abuse was while they were married. He’s the one that owns the failure of that marriage.
Ironically, not that I’m a huge fan of ERW… I mean, during the MM years she tried HARD to be controversial and played up the Lolita thing as much as possible – it may have been because he liked it, but she courted that attention that she said was hard.
It wasn’t a wild teen stage she went through, she was plenty old enough to know what she was doing, this girl just looooooved the drama and attention she got from the controversy of being with a man in his 40’s, she was a total famewhore and even would dress up like Lolita for f**ks sake!
She’s no different from all those other young actresses who are more famous for their personal life because their acting is one note and week.
Agree. She still behaves immaturely on Twitter. She will break Jamie’s heart again.
19 is damn well old enough to know not to mess with a MARRIED MAN.
I’m not familiar with this story. Was he ‘married married’, or had they already filed for divorce when she got with him?
never cared for her but like her acting (if that makes any sense)
the whole Marilyn Manson thing was just too weird to me.
She’s a good actress. She’ll get even better if she continues to pick good roles.
I don’t have it in me to get worked-up about a 19 year old’s love life. The human brain isn’t even fully developed at 19. EVR has obviously matured since then. She’ll be fine.
Middle-aged men and women who act like they’re 19 years old? They bug me.
I really her. She sets herself apart from her peers, she is what I truly consider an “actress”.
She’s so damn pretty.
While I adore her, I don’t believe that Rachel Evan Wood had the celebrity that Biebs and Miley have. She was photographed and talked about in the tabs but I don’t think that she can even compare herself to them. At the moment, for reasons I never will understand, Bieber and Miley Cyrus are HUGE. They are everywhere. She never was.
That’s exactly what she’s saying here, though.
🙄
i’ve ALWAYS been a Dita so…there ‘was’ judgement there. pst!
People were saying nasty things because she homewrecked Dita’s marriage (I liked them a lot as a couple), and the most scary thing of all was that Marilyn Manson used to dress and doll her up with Dita’s very own retro style.
I know people do stupid things, but sometimes is too much, I am glad she’s grown up.
I’m the first born, so we don’t really get away with the stuff that younger siblings always get away with. Having been drilled into that I have to be a role model, for the younger siblings, at a young age. I also wasn’t rich with enabling parents, like Justin and Miley. My parents would be mortified if I did something like Mileys music performance.