Evan Rachel Wood on being bisexual: ‘it’s talked about like a phase’

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Evan Rachel Wood, 29, has an extensive interview in Rolling Stone to promote her new show Westworld, which has just one episode left until the end of season one. This show is being propelled by word of mouth and jaw-dropping performances. Without revealing spoilers, it’s being compared to Lost due to its many bizarre plot twists. I have the feeling the payout will be worth it but we’ll see. Also, I did not see last night’s episode yet! I was marathoning a new Netflix show which I highly recommend, 3%, and will have to catch up later today. So please no spoilers in the comments if you can help it. In Rolling Stone, EWR is as candid and open as we’ve come to expect from her. She talks about her high profile relationship with Marilyn Manson, whom she dated when she was 18 and he was 36, about her bisexuality, and she opened up to the journalist after this interview, which was conducted before the election, about the fact that she was raped. I have so much respect for her as an actress and as someone who is open about who she is and how she got there.

She describes her time with Marilyn Manson as experimental
“I met somebody that promised freedom and expression and no judgments. And I was craving danger and excitement. I looked at my mother one day and said, ‘Mom, I’m gonna get on this tour bus for eight months and see the world and have a crazy journey and find myself, and if people aren’t OK with that, I’m sorry, but I can’t live my life for other people.’ ”

She was hurt by the criticism of her during her relationship with Manson
“Most teenagers are searching for identity, and I was thrown into a situation where I was supposed to have that already figured out. Then you’re demonized for figuring it out and getting messy. People would call me a whore when I walked down the street, and you can’t not be hurt by that.”

After the election she sent the journalist an email stating that she’d been raped
“Yes, I’ve been raped. By a significant other while we were together. And on a separate occasion, by the owner of a bar…  I don’t believe we live in a time where people can stay silent any longer. Not given the state our world is in with its blatant bigotry and sexism.”

On bisexuality being conflated with attention-seeking
“It was always talked about like a phase or something stupid, or something you were doing for attention… You know, bisexuality is worthy of eye rolls. And I didn’t realize how damaging that was until I tried to have healthy relationships as an adult and realized that there was still all this shame and conditioning and stigma around my sexuality that was really affecting the way I related to people. I think I was taken advantage of because someone knew there was something about me that they could exploit.”

On her divorce and the birth of her son in 2014
“Any divorce is always horrible. I had my son, and that changed everything. It got me out of my own shit. I just couldn’t be what I was not… We are conditioned in certain ways, and it’s a journey to break that conditioning, and I think that’s been a lot of my journey, honestly.”

She just moved to Nashville
She wanted to give her son “grass to run around on and some Southern roots and some kind of normalcy.”

[From Rolling Stone via TooFab]

I like how there’s a kind of strength in Wood revealing her vulnerabilities, as if the terrible things that happened to her can’t hurt as much when they’re brought out into the open. Later in the piece the journalist, Alex Morris, describes going to karaoke bar in Nashville with Wood. She belts out songs and Morris writes that Wood “can sing pretty much anything.” Also, EWR is in a band, called Rebel and a Basketcase (a Breakfast Club reference), with a musician named Zach Villa. They’re going to tour soon and are releasing an album. Somehow that is mildly disappointing to me. I prefer when my favorite actors stick to their craft and don’t branch out into music, but that sounds selfish, doesn’t it? So many of these creative types are also musicians. Rebel and a Basketcase has a couple of songs up on their site, and they have a gritty new wave feel in terms of style and music. I really like that genre and era in music (see: Heaven 17, Propaganda, Bel Canto) and the song Oh Yeah is quite good but their other single, Escondido, is lacking somehow.

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photos credit: WENN and Getty

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30 Responses to “Evan Rachel Wood on being bisexual: ‘it’s talked about like a phase’”

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  1. Shambles says:

    Yes to everything she says about bisexuality.

    Bisexuality is not a choice
    Bisexuality is not a phase
    Bisexuality is not a way to seek attention
    Bisexuality is not something to be fetishized
    Bisexuality does not make you selfish
    Bisexuality does not make you a cheater
    Bisexuality does not mean you can’t make up your mind

  2. Jess says:

    I forgot she had a son, which is good and means she doesn’t parade him around the paparazzi. She sounds normal and grounded, and how awesome she moved to Nashville! I love her acting on Westworld, I haven’t watched last nights episode yet either, I can’t wait to see where the show goes. We binged on The Americans all weekend and holy crap I love it, one episode left and we can return to normal life😉

  3. lightpurple says:

    Can I just say that ERW is fine on WestWorld but all the awards for everything should go to Thandie. who is mind-blowing.

  4. Jess says:

    I like what she said. She’s seems like a really smart woman. Great actress too.

  5. Original T.C. says:

    The more stories I hear of White sisters being raped or assaulted by White men in relationships or casually , the more angry I get that there has been the false narrative of Black men being the ones White women should worry about! I now see it’s the White males trying to hide their crimes by projecting and blaming Black men.

    Seriously SO MANY stories of women being groped, forced and made to feel that it’s “no big deal”! Don’t look over at us, fear the Black men. I’m happy to see more White ladies telling their truth and letting other women know it’s NOT OK. EVER. Good for ERW. She’s always being a strong woman.

    • Jess says:

      Thank you, every time I’ve ever been groped, yelled at, or almost assaulted and raped it’s been by a white man. I’m so sick of the “oh boys will be boys” BS, lots of men get away with that crap and it makes me sick.

    • Lex says:

      Yes agree but nowhere in her there did she say they were white? Or make any racial reference? Did I miss that?

    • Miss Kitty says:

      “the more angry I get that there has been the false narrative of Black men being the ones White women should worry about! I now see it’s the White males trying to hide their crimes by projecting and blaming Black men.”

      THIS. This, this, and this.

    • Frank says:

      hello nate parker, Darren sharper, bill cosby etc

  6. TrixC says:

    I wonder what she meant by the comments about her divorce and being conditioned to be something she was not?

    • Lex says:

      Perhaps the ‘wife’ role didn’t quite fit her. It’s possible he is more traditional than she and it didn’t match.

  7. jerkface says:

    Being a people is way difficult. Cheers to all the people just trying to live.

  8. AG says:

    This doesn’t have anything to do with Evan — but I hadn’t heard of 3% and I just looked it up and it sounds really good, I’m going to try it! So thanks for the recommendation…

  9. Carol says:

    I don’t understand people who think its ok to scream at any woman a “whore”? Especially if they don’t know the woman personally.

  10. DesertReal says:

    Right on to all that she said in the interview (and more). I’m definitely picking up what she’s putting down.

    Now that being said…OH MY GOD 3% IS HEART-WRENCHING, EXCITING, AND AGONIZINGLY ADDICTIVE! I was hooked about 30 minutes in, and at 4 episodes in, my fellow and I are trying to pace ourselves.
    I was at work today and was bitterly disappointed that I was the only one that was watching it.

    You’ve got some good taste, CB.
    Not about D.C/Marvel movies, but good taste nonethless.