Rebel Wilson labelled ‘nuts’ by PR team she allegedly hired to attack colleague, court hears | Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson was labeled “crazy” by a PR team she allegedly hired to create websites attacking the co-producer of her directorial debut, a court heard.
The Pitch Perfect actor directed, co-produced and starred in The Deb, a musical comedy set in rural NSW that went unaired for two years due to legal disputes.
The film’s lead actress, Charlotte MacInnes, is suing him over social media posts alleging the young actress filed a sexual harassment complaint against co-producer Amanda Ghost.
MacInnes denies complaining to Wilson and says he was hurt by the older actor’s overtures and withdrew the alleged comments in exchange for the lead role and a record deal.
“[This is] It is a malicious allegation that he sold the sexual harassment allegation against my client for his own professional and business interests,” said his lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou SC.
The court heard the claim was referenced on malicious smear websites created by a crisis PR firm that attacked Ghost and claimed he was a sex trafficker.
Wilson is accused of ordering the Agency Group to publish the websites, but has consistently denied any involvement.
According to testimony from former The Agency Group employee Katie Case, she became a client of the crisis management team in July 2024, months after MacInnes allegedly filed the complaint.
Messages between agency staff referred to Wilson as “fucking crazy,” a federal court was told Tuesday.
In August, her boss, Melissa Nathan, told Case that Wilson wanted one of “these sites” created.
“This might be really harsh… making her a lady actually haha,” Nathan instructed, according to court documents.
“Oh my god hahaha okay this will be fun,” Case replied.
The former public relations worker told the court he understood he had been asked to draft copy that could be used to create a takedown website “that could be used as a tool to assist lawyers in ongoing litigation.”
Case was presented with a “fully drafted” word document stating what was wanted for the website; He edited this document and supplemented it with content suggested by his colleagues.
He had no idea who wrote the document, but metadata later revealed it had been created under the name of Wilson’s company, he told the court. However, Case acknowledged that anyone could have written in or edited the document before it was sent to him.
He told the court the PR representative had never met or spoken to Wilson.
“Websites are a distraction,” his lawyer Dauid Sibtain SC told the court on Monday.
“They are not actually relevant to the critical issue in this case… [which] Ms. MacInnes actually complained to Ms. Wilson.”
More details about the aftermath of the alleged complaint were revealed by Ghost’s friend, theater producer Carmen Pavlovic. He told how Ghost suffered a medical episode at Bondi beach in September 2023 and MacInnes helped him before sharing a bathroom with his swimmers.
Pavlovic told the court that Ghost appeared angry and very upset with MacInnes after Wilson claimed the young actor was complaining that he was feeling uncomfortable.
The producer and Wilson suggested MacInnes could be “trouble-making,” but Pavlovic encouraged them to follow proper processes to make sure the young actor had his voice heard.
“I was worried things might blow up if they weren’t cleared up properly,” he told the court.
Gregor Cameron, Ghost’s husband and co-producer of The Deb, will give evidence on Tuesday afternoon. Both producers face separate litigation against Wilson in the NSW supreme court.
Deb was released in Australia in early April after legal issues prevented widespread release following its 2024 film festival premiere.
The trial continues.
