Rebel Wilson Cleared of Defamation in Case Brought by 'The Deb' Star Charlotte MacInnes

An Australian judge has ruled that Rebel Wilson did not defame Charlotte MacInnes, the young actress who starred in Wilson's directorial debut, "The Deb," bringing an end to a closely watched legal battle over social media posts in which Wilson accused a film producer of misconduct. The decision, handed down Wednesday, dismissed the case MacInnes brought against Wilson, though a representative for MacInnes has already confirmed plans to appeal.

The dispute centered on a series of Instagram posts Wilson shared beginning in July 2024, in which she accused Amanda Ghost, a producer on "The Deb," of inappropriate behavior toward MacInnes, misusing the film's budget, and attempting to shelve the movie in retaliation for Wilson speaking out.

MacInnes argued that Wilson's posts implied Ghost had sexually harassed her, and that the implication caused lasting damage to her reputation and career. Wilson has separately sued Ghost for breach of contract and fraud.

At the heart of the case was a disputed encounter at Ghost's home near Bondi Beach on the night of September 5, 2023, following an evening swim the two women took together. In her court filings, Wilson alleged that Ghost had required MacInnes to live with her during the film's production and later pressured her into bathing together while wearing swimsuits.

Wilson maintained that MacInnes had confided in her that the situation left her uncomfortable. In a separate post, Wilson went further, suggesting that MacInnes later walked back her complaint to protect or advance her budding music career.

That claim carries added weight given Ghost's ties to Warner Music Group, the parent company of Atlantic Records, through projects spanning music and film. MacInnes released her debut album, "Highwater," this past June, and Ghost is credited as a collaborator on the record, a connection Wilson's camp has pointed to as relevant context for the allegations.

MacInnes has consistently pushed back against Wilson's version of events. She has described the bathroom incident not as anything inappropriate, but as a response to a medical episode, with no romantic or harassing undertones.

During testimony given in April before a federal court in Sydney, MacInnes explicitly denied ever telling Wilson that the night made her uncomfortable, directly contradicting a central piece of Wilson's defense. Representatives for MacInnes have been forceful in their characterization of Wilson's claims, previously describing the suggestion that MacInnes fabricated a harassment allegation for personal gain as a damaging and baseless accusation against their client.

Following Wednesday's ruling in her favor, Wilson took to Instagram to thank her supporters and praise the Australian legal system, saying she was relieved to see the case reach a resolution and eager to refocus on her family and career. She specifically expressed gratitude toward the presiding judge and the broader legal process that led to the verdict.

Despite the win, the matter is far from settled. A representative for MacInnes has confirmed that she intends to appeal the decision, meaning the legal fight between the two women and the underlying questions about what happened at Ghost's home in 2023 could continue for months or longer.

Neither Ghost nor her representatives have issued new public statements since the ruling, and it remains unclear how the pending appeal might affect the separate legal proceedings involving Wilson and Ghost tied to "The Deb."