Actress Rebel Wilson has successfully countered allegations of defaming a younger performer who starred in her directorial debut.
An Australian judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by Charlotte MacInnes, known for her role in “The Deb,” who accused the “Pitch Perfect” star of disseminating falsehoods to her vast Instagram audience.
MacInnes argued that the shared posts had subjected her to online harassment and negatively impacted her career opportunities. Justice Elizabeth Raper found otherwise.
In her posts, Wilson alleged that MacInnes had retracted a sexual harassment complaint against the film’s producers to advance her career in acting and singing, which MacInnes refuted.
The accusations and counterclaims include serious matters such as smear campaigns and embezzlement, all of which have emerged in various court proceedings related to the production of the Australian musical comedy.
“The Deb,” which is set in an Australian outback town, narrates the story of two contrasting cousins—one urban and the other rural—who come together for a debutante ball. Initially intended to be an uplifting story, the production has turned into a saga of its own.
Wilson described the legal turmoil surrounding her first feature film as “like your worst nightmare” during an interview with “60 Minutes Australia” last year, noting that the problems were unexpected.
After the ruling on Wednesday, Wilson expressed gratitude to the judge and the Australian judicial system for the “significant win” and mentioned her eagerness to move forward.
A pivotal claim involved a September 2023 incident where MacInnes and producer Amanda Ghost shared a bath in a Sydney penthouse rented by the production team.
In her judgment, Justice Raper remarked, “Describing the events leading to their presence in the bath as unusual would be an understatement.”
MacInnes and Ghost both stated they were in swimsuits and entered the bath to warm up following Ghost’s adverse reaction after swimming in the chilly waters at Bondi Beach.
Ghost testified in court that she was shaking violently and developing welts, hoping that warming up would alleviate the symptoms.
MacInnes, also feeling cold, noted that the bath was spacious enough for both women. Supporting Ghost’s account, MacInnes stated in her affidavit, “There was nothing sexual at all.”
However, Wilson contended that MacInnes had conveyed to her that Ghost had invited her to share the bath and shower, which MacInnes found “uncomfortable.”
Wilson claimed she interpreted MacInnes’s comments as a report of sexual harassment on set, and as the director, she felt compelled to take action.
Justice Raper concluded that only one assertion had merit—that MacInnes had altered her account regarding her discomfort—and this was not deemed defamatory. The lawsuit was dismissed, with MacInnes ordered to cover costs.
Producers reject allegations against them
The allegations regarding the penthouse bath are only a fraction of the accusations discussed in court documents concerning the film, which has been described as a “fun, frothy, sassy musical.
Court documents indicate that Wilson’s relationship with the producers began to deteriorate prior to filming in 2023, and tensions escalated during the post-production phase.
Serious accusations were also made in a letter from Wilson’s attorney Bryan Freedman to Ghost and the other film producers, including Ghost’s husband Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden, sent in June 2024.
In her affidavit, Ghost claimed that the letter contained “numerous seriously defamatory and false allegations of reprehensible sexual misconduct against Charlotte by me and Gregor while at the Bondi Beach apartment.”
“I was horrified by the letter and the false accusations Rebel was making,” Ghost stated. She and her fellow producers have initiated their own defamation lawsuit against Wilson.
Ghost alleges that Wilson was involved in establishing smear websites that labeled her as the “Indian Ghislaine Maxwell,” a reference to Jeffrey Epstein’s former partner, who is now imprisoned for her involvement in trafficking underage girls. Wilson has denied any involvement.
In various social media posts, Wilson claimed that the producers initially withheld permission for the film to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival as retaliation for her exposing their misconduct. Ghost stated she did not attempt to block the film’s screening at TIFF.
“The Deb” eventually debuted at TIFF in 2024, was released in Australian theaters earlier this year, and is expected to hit theaters in the US this August.
Prior defamation victory
This is not the first instance where Wilson has found herself involved in a prominent defamation lawsuit.
In 2017, the actress secured a defamation ruling against Bauer Media, which she claimed had labeled her a “serial liar” in several articles published in Australian lifestyle publications.
The articles insinuated that Wilson had fabricated details about her name, age, and background in her pursuit of fame in Hollywood.
Justice John Dixon stated that Bauer Media failed to demonstrate that the allegations against Wilson were substantially accurate or inconsequential.
At the time, she received Australia’s largest defamation payout totaling 4.5 million Australian dollars (approximately $3.6 million), although this amount was later reduced to around $450,000 after the appellate court determined that the articles did not significantly harm her career.
