Text messages between Wilson and Charlotte MacInnes revealed
Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has said she was “extremely rude” to a young actor in text messages revealed in court during a high-stakes libel fight.
Charlotte MacInnes, who starred in the Australian musical film DebtFilm directed and co-produced by Wilson is suing Pitch perfect And bridesmaids The actor who was insulted over a series of social media posts. The trial began in the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday.
Text messages shown in court on Thursday reveal some tensions between the two artists at the beginning of their working relationship in May 2023.
The court heard Wilson provided MacInnes with tickets to see the production Oklahoma! He appeared on stage with himself and some of his castmates at the Wyndham Theater in London’s West End, but MacInnes texted Wilson after the incident to apologize “hugely” because he “lost track of time”.
MacInnes[ended] Producer of Ghost having dinner with Amanda Debt Pia Ashcroft, Ghost’s assistant and the person who emerges as a central figure in the libel case.
‘Not a great start’
“Hi Charlotte. Thank you for your apology. In the future, it would be extremely rude to say you want tickets to a show and then not respond or follow up knowing a ticket has been purchased for you,” Wilson replied.
“This is not a great start to our working relationship.”
MacInnes responded: “I understand completely. Again, I am very sorry for my poor communication. I would like to send you the ticket money for keeping your word and purchasing a suitable ticket.”
He said Wilson was “nothing short of amazing” and that he and others “deserve the same respect and communication.”
Wilson’s lawyer, Dauid Sibtain, SC, told MacInnes: “She was quite happy to effectively sideline the other supporting actresses and the director.” [Wilson] for the possibility of another one-on-one meeting with Ms. Ghost” MacInnes disagreed.
case
More than two years later, in September 2025, MacInnes filed a defamation lawsuit in the Federal Court against Wilson over a series of four Instagram stories posted between September 2024 and May of last year that made claims about the young star and Ghost.
In one of the stories, Wilson claimed that MacInnes “complained to me as the director” that Ghost “wanted him to take baths and showers with him and it made him uncomfortable.” MacInnes denies this conversation took place. Neither woman was named in this story, but their identities were included in surrounding posts.
At the time of the alleged complaint in September 2023, MacInnes was living with Ghost and the producer’s assistant in a rented penthouse apartment owned by Bondi during rehearsals. Debt.
MacInnes is not suing for defamation over Wilson’s alleged complaint, but over another allegation that Wilson dropped the alleged complaint in exchange for greater career opportunities, namely a lead role in a stage production and a record label, allegedly set up by Ghost.
MacInnes’ attorneys say the bathroom-related incident on Sept. 5, 2023, was a medical incident. After swimming with MacInnes at Bondi Beach, Ghost reacted to the cold water and MacInnes helped him. At one stage both women shared a bathroom wearing their swimsuits.
MacInnes’ barrister, Sue Chrysanthou, SC, claimed in her opening statement to the court that Wilson was “not a whistleblower trying to protect a young actress” and claimed that MacInnes was only a “victim” when it was “convenient for him”.
MacInnes “did not ‘complain’ to Wilson as alleged” in the posts, his legal team said in court documents.
Wilson has denied making the allegations to further his business interests due to a dispute with the film’s co-producers, including Ghost.
Career opportunities
MacInnes was questioned at length by Wilson’s lawyer on Thursday about the circumstances of her signing a record deal with Atlantic Records and starring in the stage production. Gatsby: An American LegendCo-produced by Ghost.
Sibtain told MacInnes that Ghost gave him “a fair amount of help getting through the audition process.” gatsby.
“I agree that’s very helpful,” MacInnes said after Judge Elizabeth Raper asked him to answer the question directly.
Sibtain described to MacInnes the information Ghost sent MacInnes as “super secret”: an audition tape of an actor who didn’t get the part.
“He was encouraging you to be more dramatic,” Sibtain said.
“Yes,” said MacInnes.
In another message, he admitted that Ghost encouraged him to audition for the role despite being up against the best performers in the world.
The trial continues.
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