Rebel Wilson is accused of calling actress a ‘prostitute’ after sharing racy Instagram post of two women – as she is grilled in defamation case
Rebel Wilson has been criticized for a series of Instagram posts in which she accused Charlotte MacInnes of cultural appropriation, blocking the release of The Deb and “flip-flopping” about sexual harassment allegations.
In court on Thursday, Sue Chrysanthou SC pointed to a Daily Mail article containing a series of scathing posts by Wilson about MacInnes.
One post included a photo of MacInnes singing a song from The Deb aboard billionaire Len Blavatnik’s superyacht.
Wilson told the court he received the image from a hate group on Instagram.
Ms Chrysanthou said: ‘So someone who didn’t like my client sent you a photo of him singing and you felt the need to publish it?’
Wilson said: ‘Yes, I was obviously emotional because it was a passion project – I worked on The Deb for five years and it didn’t sell because of a case Charlotte was helping with.’
Ms Chrysanthiou said: ‘So you’re attacking him because you’re upset… Do you accept what you did to him by publishing this article?’
Wilson said: ‘No, I don’t know.’
Ms Chrysanthou said: ‘Okay, let’s review this. You accused him of cultural appropriation.’
Aboard the superyacht, MacInnes wore a long, baby blue dress with a sheer scarf on her arms and head.
Wilson said: ‘To me the outfit looks like a sari and as far as I know Charlotte is not of Indian heritage.’
Ms Chrysanthou said: ‘Do you think it is appropriate for a person in your position to attack someone in his position because of the clothes he is wearing?’
Wilson said he believed his post was true.
Ms Chrysanthou continued: ‘There are many things that may be true about a woman’s appearance, but is it completely inappropriate for someone to comment on it?
‘Is it appropriate for someone in your position to comment on what someone is wearing at an event?’
Wilson said: ‘I don’t see any problems.’
Ms Chrysanthou noted that MacInnes’ team was not Indian. Wilson said he believed it.
He asked if he accepted Wilson’s damaging comments about MacInnes.
Wilson said: ‘Absolutely not, I’m a professional person.’
Ms Chrysanthou asked: ‘Did you just say you were a professional?’
‘On a movie that people invested $22 million into, you published an Instagram post accusing it of being for sale?’
Wilson said that he was criticized by crisis management firms run by ‘Russian oligarch billionaire’ Len Blavatnik.
Wilson later confirmed that he was paid approximately $1 million for the film, owed another $500,000, and was not living above the poverty line.
