Rebel Wilson gives evidence in high-profile defamation case against star of directorial debut | Rebel Wilson

Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has entered the courthouse to testify in her high-profile libel battle against the star of her directorial debut.

The Pitch Perfect star has been sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the Australian co-star of musical comedy The Deb.

MacInnes alleges Wilson slandered him in four social media posts claiming he had filed a sexual harassment complaint, then retracted it to further his career.

Wilson entered federal court Tuesday morning before taking the witness stand to fight her co-star’s defamation allegations.

His wife, Ramona Agruma-Wilson, may no longer be required to attend court to give evidence after Wilson’s legal team applied for her statement to be read in her absence.

Dauid Sibtain SC stated that she was in the final stages of a high-risk pregnancy and raised the issue of stress in cross-examination.

The libel dispute was sparked by MacInnes helping The Deb co-producer Amanda Ghost suffer a medical crisis on Bondi beach in September 2023.

MacInnes said the producer helped her back to the flat they shared with others and eventually innocently shared a bathroom in their swimsuits to warm up.

Clues to what Wilson might say in his deposition can be found in affidavits MacInnes filed with the court, which include portions of the older actor’s own statement.

MacInnes is expected to testify about the allegation that Ghost told him that he wanted them to take a bath and shower together and that it made him uncomfortable.

MacInnes denies making a complaint and claims he later explained to Wilson that the situation was awkward but that he wasn’t bothered by Ghost’s presence.

In his statement, Wilson said he overheard the producer and the young star saying intimate things to each other (mostly of a sexual nature), and MacInnes told him it was a lie.

He also rejected Wilson’s account that Ghost pushed him to have a drink with him until the young actor relented.

MacInnes’ barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC said the Bridesmaids star falsely portrayed herself as a whistleblower speaking out to protect MacInnes when in fact she was using the alleged complaint as leverage in a dispute with her co-producers.

Instead of checking in on the alleged victim of inappropriate behavior, Chrysanthou said Wilson shared posts “berating” his client.

“This bully, apparently the savior of women, the protector of the abused, reacts this way,” the lawyer told the court.

But in his opening statement, Sibtain said that although Wilson had doubts about the veracity of the alleged complaint, he had conveyed his concerns to others.

The real issue, he said, is not whether MacInnes was a victim but whether he should have complained to Wilson and changed his story.

Wilson’s case was that MacInnes retracted his story “to enable his career as an actor and musician to advance by appeasing Ghost.”

Sibtain also argued that, contrary to his claims, there was no damage to MacInnes’ reputation due to his social media posts.

Wilson is likely to be questioned over his alleged role in the attack on MacInnes’ social media account, which led to the leak of a nude photo.

The Hollywood star is also expected to be grilled on whether he was involved in creating malicious websites attacking Ghost in reference to the alleged complaint.