Evan Rachel Wood is an award-winning American actress recognized for her roles across the theater, film, and television. She made her acting debut in the mid-1990s, appearing in screen projects such as Search For Grace (1994), American Gothic (1995–96), and Once and Again (1999–2002). As a child actress, she began gaining recognition when she secured her first leading role in the film, Digging to China (1997) at the age of nine. Her role as the troubled teenager Tracy Freeland in the teen drama film Thirteen (2003) solidified her rise to fame with a Golden Globe nomination.
Evan Rachel Wood has gone on to win roles in more mainstream films, including The Wrestler (2008), Whatever Works (2009), The Ides of March (2011), and a voice role in Frozen II (2019). She played the recurring role of Sophie-Anne Leclerq on True Blood from 2009 to 2011 and the titular role on the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce (2011), the latter of which earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe and Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Perhaps her most recognized role, playing Dolores Abernathy in the HBO series Westworld (2016–2022) won her a Critics’ Choice Award and earned Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for the same role. In addition to acting, Wood is trained in dance and has a black belt in taekwondo. She also loves singing, swimming, and horseback riding.
1. Evan Rachel Wood Has Mixed Ancestry
Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Evan Rachel Wood identifies as an American but her ancestry is mixed. Her ancestry includes English, Irish, Scottish, and German from both sides of the family. She has two siblings – Ira David Wood IV and Dana Wood while Aden Rose Elins is her half-sibling. Wood was raised by a father from a Christian background and a mother who converted from Christianity to Judaism. As such, she was raised to identify with both the Jewish and Christian religions. Nevertheless, she has grown to follow no religion. She only sees herself as a spiritual person who believes in God but thinks no religious group satisfies her beliefs.
2. Evan Rachel Wood Opted For Home School After Junior High School in the San Fernando Valley
The actress got her early education at Cary Elementary School in Cary, North Carolina before her parents divorced. She then moved with her mother to Los Angeles in 1997 to give her acting career better opportunities. While in LA, she started junior high school in the San Fernando Valley but later opted to be home-schooled. According to Wood, she wasn’t comfortable with the social life in high school. Wood got her high school diploma at age 15.
3. She Comes From A Family Of Performers
Drawn to the arts from a young age, Evan Rachel Wood was born into a family of performers. Her father, Ira David Wood III, is a theatre actor, playwright, and director who co-owns a community theatre company known as Theatre in the Park. Wood’s father is a prominent figure in Raleigh known for his theatrical offerings. Also, her mother, Sara Lynn Wood, is an actress and director who doubles as an acting coach.
Aside from her parents, Evan Rachel Wood’s siblings are also active in the entertainment industry. Her brother, Ira David Wood IV is an actor known for his appearances in Once and Again (1999), One Tree Hill (2003), and Down in the Valley (2005). Her other brother, Dana Wood is a musician and actor. The siblings performed together in the past at their father’s company – Theatre In The Park in Raleigh.
4. She Battled PTSD Caused by Multiple Rapes
A survivor of multiple rapes, Evan Rachel Wood attempted suicide when she was 22 years old. She battled PTSD as a result of traumatizing sexual encounters and an abusive relationship that troubled her for years. Wood subsequently checked herself into a psychiatric hospital to seek help from professionals. To add her voice to the fight against gender violence, Wood was one of 3 women who provided evidence to the U.S. Congress in Washington D.C. in support of the “Sexual Assault Survivor’s Bill of Rights Act” in February 2018. She testified before the United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations to give her testimony. She also testified before the California State Senate to help pass the Phoenix Act.
5. Evan Rachel Wood Was Once Engaged To Marilyn Manson
Evan Rachel Wood and Marilyn Manson went public with their relationship in January 2007 and became engaged in January 2010. However, the relationship ended seven months after their engagement. During their early days, Wood inspired Manson’s song Heart-Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Hand). She also appeared in the music video for the track. The couple convinced fans that there was very love in the relationship but in the actual sense, it was toxic. Wood has since spoken out against the different kinds of abuse she experienced at the hands of singer, ranging from physical to sexual and emotional.
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