Rebel Wilson to be grilled over ‘disgusting’ smear site
Australian A-lister Rebel Wilson has been accused of lying about her involvement with a defamatory website, days before a libel hearing brought by the star of her troubled directorial debut.
The Pitch Perfect star directed, co-produced and stars in the recently released musical comedy The Deb, which is set in rural NSW and sparks a series of legal battles.
The film’s lead actress, Charlotte MacInnes, is suing Wilson for defamation over social media posts claiming the young actress admitted to being sexually harassed by producer Amanda Ghost.
MacInnes has consistently denied that any sexual abuse occurred and said he was hurt by Wilson’s overtures, withdrawing the alleged complaint in exchange for the lead role and the record label.
Both actors will testify in Federal Court when the dispute airs at a nine-day hearing that begins Monday.
At Wednesday’s preliminary hearing, it was said that one of the issues to be discussed was whether Wilson was telling the truth about his lack of involvement in creating a defamatory website attacking Ms Ghost.
MacInnes claims the Bridesmaids actress asked a US publisher to set up malicious websites about Miss Ghost, claiming she was a sex trafficker and citing an alleged sexual harassment complaint.
Wilson denied the allegations, telling Nine’s 60 Minutes in November that he had “nothing to do with the websites”.
“Our case has made clear that Ms Wilson lied,” MacInnes’ barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC told the court on Wednesday.
“It is extremely coincidental that Ms. Wilson has made allegations in public interviews and on Instagram that very closely mirror the content of these websites.”
He attempted to communicate between Wilson and his previous attorney regarding the websites.
If Wilson was telling the truth about his involvement in publishing the “shocking and disgusting” allegations, Ms Chrysanthou said there would be no documents to be produced.
But Wilson’s attorney argued that the actor’s communications with his previous attorney could be protected from disclosure under legal privilege.
He said the request was oppressive so close to the hearing that the question of who created the website was not a question that needed to be answered at the hearing.
The judge ruled in MacInnes’ favour, stating that the matter concerned his request for an award of aggravated damages and an injunction to stop Wilson from repeating the alleged defamatory allegations.
Wilson was also ordered to report on conversations he had with internationally renowned artist FKA Twigs about Ms. Ghost.
The Australian actor and his pregnant wife will appear in the Federal Court in the second week of the trial.
Wilson also faces a separate lawsuit filed by Ms. Ghost and The Deb co-creators Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden, alleging breaches of contract and damaging statements.
This dispute will be argued in the NSW Supreme Court for two weeks in September.
Ongoing legal action has blocked wider distribution of The Deb after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024.
The film was finally released in Australia in early April and received a warm reception, with some critics describing it as “joyful” and “dirty, funny but most of all touching”.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Resolution Support Service 1800 211 028
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