When you think about Marilyn Manson, your mind probably jumps straight to the pale makeup, the industrial metal, and the endless controversies that have trailed him since the nineties. But if you’re looking into the woman often called the Marilyn Manson ex wife, you’re actually looking at a very specific, high-glamour era of his life.
Dita Von Teese.
That name carries its own weight. She isn't just "an ex-wife." She's the "Queen of Burlesque," a fashion icon who looks like she stepped out of a 1940s noir film. Honestly, their marriage was one of the most visually striking pairings in Hollywood history. It was all velvet, corsets, and dark romanticism.
But why did it fall apart so fast? And what about his current wife? People tend to get the timeline mixed up because Manson has had several high-profile partners who weren't actually married to him.
The Marriage to Dita Von Teese: A Gothic Fairytale Gone Wrong
Marilyn Manson and Dita Von Teese (born Heather Sweet) were a match made in a very specific kind of aesthetic heaven. They started dating around 2001. After several years together, they tied the knot in December 2005. This wasn't a quick Vegas chapel wedding; it was a lavish, eccentric ceremony at Gurteen Castle in Ireland.
Dita wore a stunning royal purple Vivienne Westwood gown. The late Vivienne Westwood herself was a friend. It was peak "Goth Royalty."
However, the marriage lasted barely a year.
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Dita filed for divorce in December 2006. By 2007, they were legally finished.
Why did they split?
Dita has been pretty open about it over the years. Basically, it came down to two things: infidelity and drug abuse.
She's often said she loved him, but she couldn't stay in a situation where those behaviors were the norm. In 2021, when a wave of serious abuse allegations hit Manson from other former partners, many eyes turned to Dita. She released a statement saying that those "horrific" details did not match her personal experience during their seven years together.
She clarified that had she experienced abuse like that, she never would have married him in the first place. But she also didn't dismiss the other women. She simply stated her own truth: she left because of the cheating and the partying that became unmanageable.
The Confusion: Ex-Wife vs. Ex-Fiancée
This is where the Google searches get messy. If you're looking for the Marilyn Manson ex wife, you might actually be thinking of Rose McGowan or Evan Rachel Wood.
Here is the reality check:
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- Rose McGowan: They were engaged for about two years. They were the "it" couple of the late 90s (remember that sheer dress at the VMAs?). They never actually married. Rose ended it in 2001, citing "lifestyle differences."
- Evan Rachel Wood: She and Manson were engaged in 2010. Their relationship inspired the song "Heart-Shaped Glasses." Again, no wedding. They split later that same year.
- Esme Bianco: Another high-profile relationship, but never a marriage.
It’s easy to see why people get confused. Manson’s life is a whirlwind of "nearly-wed" situations. But strictly speaking, for a long time, Dita was the only one who held the title of legal ex-wife.
Meet the Current Wife: Lindsay Usich
Fast forward to 2020. While the world was locked down due to COVID-19, Manson got married again. This time to Lindsay Usich.
Lindsay is a photographer and artist who had been in Manson's inner circle for a decade. They started dating way back in 2012. Unlike his previous relationships, this one stayed relatively quiet for years.
The Lockdown Wedding
They kept it low-key. Nicolas Cage—yes, that Nicolas Cage—reportedly attended the wedding via FaceTime.
Lindsay has stayed by his side through the massive legal battles and public fallout that began in 2021. While she isn't as much of a household name as Dita or Rose, she has been a constant presence in his life for over twelve years now. She’s often credited by fans for helping him through his sobriety journey in recent years.
Comparing the Eras
It's wild to look at the difference between the "Dita Era" and the "Lindsay Era."
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With Dita, it was all about the spectacle. It was a performance. They were two artists playing characters that happened to be in love. It was glamorous but, by Dita's own admission, unsustainable.
With Lindsay, it seems much more grounded. She’s a photographer who works behind the scenes. She isn't performing on a stage in a giant martini glass. She’s been there for the "unmasked" version of Brian Warner (Manson’s real name).
What You Should Take Away
If you’re trying to keep the facts straight about the Marilyn Manson ex wife situation, just remember that the "ex" list is long, but the "wife" list is short.
- Dita Von Teese is the famous ex-wife. (Married 2005–2007).
- Lindsay Usich is the current wife. (Married 2020–Present).
- Rose McGowan and Evan Rachel Wood were fiancées, but they never made it down the aisle.
The narrative around Manson has shifted heavily toward the legal allegations from his other exes, but Dita has remained firm in her "not my experience" stance while moving on with her own massive career.
If you want to understand the modern context of these relationships, looking into the Phoenix Act—the legislation Evan Rachel Wood helped pass—is a good next step. It gives a lot of insight into why the timelines of these past relationships are still being discussed in courtrooms today. You might also want to check out Dita's 2015 book Your Beauty Mark if you want to see how she completely reclaimed her identity after the divorce. High-profile breakups are messy, but in this case, the women involved have built massive legacies entirely separate from the man they once married.
To stay updated on the legal side of things, look for recent filings in the California courts regarding the ongoing defamation cases; that's where the most "fact-checked" information usually surfaces these days.