From the moment Brian Warner launched his alter-ego, Marilyn Manson, in the early 1990s, he set out to shock. Over the next two decades, his carefully cultivated, highly controversial persona became iconic around the world. His fans and liberal cultural commentators justified his shocking lyrics, behaviour and concerts as a form of social or political satire. Many placed Manson at the centre of a culture war, particularly following the Columbine school shootings, for which conservative commentators claimed he was partially responsible, an accusation he stridently denied. This had many people asking the question of whether he should be cancelled as a performer for corrupting America’s youth or if his freedom should be defended as an artist.

In February 2021, several women accused Warner of sexual assault and within 24 hours he was dropped by his manager, his agent and his record company. Later the same year, an explosive Rolling Stone article laid bare a stream of allegations from multiple women. The allegations led to a police raid and criminal investigation into Manson. In total, five of his accusers launched civil lawsuits against him claiming sexual assault and other charges, with retractions and out-of-court settlements evidencing the complex and multi-faceted nature of this type of allegation. To date, no charges have been made but civil cases are pending.

Now, a new Channel 4 documentary titled Marilyn Manson: Behind The Mask will chart his rise to fame from a difficult childhood, vilification and death threats to being championed as an advocate for those on the fringes of society, and closely examines the fallout of the allegations for both the accusers and the accused. 

Alongside access to several of the accusers, lifelong fans, industry insiders, lawyers, a former band mate and his childhood best friend, the series includes exclusive audio recordings of interviews with Rolling Stone alongside archive footage and never-before-seen photographs to provide a first-hand portrait of one of the most controversial musicians of the 21st century.

While a release date for the documentary is yet to be announced, Behind The Mask will shine a light on Manson’s ability to court controversy all while exploring how high-profile sexual assault allegations play out in today’s post #MeToo era.

Images: Getty