Marilyn Manson felt trapped by public perception

Musician Marilyn Manson says he turned to painting and acting because he wanted to do something unexpected after feeling trapped by his public persona.

The 46-year-old admits his reputation caused him to turn away from music and try his hand at other forms of creative expression, such as painting and acting, because he wanted to try something unexpected, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Asked whether he ever felt trapped by the perception of him, Marilyn told The Guardian newspaper: "Absolutely. That's why I wanted to quit making music, which led to exploring other avenues, like painting and acting - though that wasn't the reason at the time. I think I was just bored with it.

"I didn't want to be exactly what everyone expected me to be."

Manson starred in 1997 film "Lost Highway" and is currently playing a white supremacist in the US TV show "Sons of Anarchy". He says the death of his mother was his biggest catalyst for change in his life.

"I feel like the thing I'm best at is being the catalyst for change. But I felt like I needed to change myself.

"It was...like, I say, I wanted to buy a house. And what brought that on was right before I had to fly to Ohio and see my father because my mother died. On Mother's Day - thanks, mom. I think that was her way of letting go of my father and me," he said.