Rebel Wilson Faces Defamation Hearing in Australia as Dispute Over ‘The Deb’ Intensifies
Proceedings began Monday at the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney in a defamation lawsuit filed against Rebel Wilson by actress Charlotte MacInnes, marking the latest development in a series of legal disputes tied to Wilson’s directorial debut, The Deb.
MacInnes, who holds a lead role in the film, alleges that Wilson damaged her reputation through a series of Instagram posts published in 2024. According to filings presented in court, those posts suggested that MacInnes had raised concerns about alleged sexual harassment involving producer Amanda Ghost and later altered her account for professional gain. MacInnes contends that the implication that she traded a serious allegation for career advancement constitutes defamation.
During opening arguments, MacInnes’ legal team described Wilson’s conduct as coercive, accusing the actress-director of using their client as “leverage” in a broader legal conflict with Ghost and other parties connected to the film. The dispute between Wilson and Ghost has unfolded separately in both U.S. and Australian courts, with claims including breach of contract and fraud related to the production of The Deb.
Central to the defamation claim is an incident in 2023, when MacInnes and Ghost were together following a visit to Bondi Beach. Wilson has publicly stated that MacInnes told her she felt uncomfortable during an interaction involving a shared bath. However, in a sworn declaration filed in November as part of related litigation, MacInnes offered a different account. She said Ghost experienced a medical issue after swimming in cold water, and that she assisted by helping her return to an apartment and warm up. According to MacInnes, both women remained in their swimsuits, and “there was nothing sexual or inappropriate about the incident whatsoever.”
MacInnes’ legal representatives argue that Wilson’s subsequent social media posts mischaracterized the situation and portrayed their client as dishonest. In court, they described the posts as “malignant,” asserting that they falsely suggested MacInnes withdrew a harassment allegation in exchange for professional opportunities, including a role in another production and a recording deal.
Wilson’s legal team disputes those claims, maintaining that MacInnes’ reputation has not been harmed. In arguments presented during the hearing, her counsel pointed to what they described as continued career progress as evidence against reputational damage. They also reiterated Wilson’s position that MacInnes initially raised concerns about the incident and later denied doing so.
The case is unfolding alongside other legal proceedings involving The Deb. In January, a Los Angeles judge granted a request from Amanda Ghost to significantly narrow Wilson’s U.S.-based lawsuit, limiting the scope of claims against Ghost as an individual and shifting the focus toward the film’s production company.
The ongoing legal conflicts have contributed to delays in the release of The Deb, which marks Wilson’s first project as a director. Industry observers note that the overlapping disputes, spanning multiple jurisdictions and involving both contractual and reputational claims, have complicated the film’s rollout and drawn attention to internal disagreements behind the production.
The defamation hearing in Sydney is expected to last nine days and is being livestreamed via the court’s official YouTube channel, offering an unusually transparent view into the proceedings. As testimony and evidence are presented, the court will be tasked with determining whether Wilson’s public statements crossed the legal threshold for defamation under Australian law.
No ruling is expected until after the conclusion of the hearing, and additional legal actions tied to the broader dispute remain ongoing.
