Rebel Wilson Cleared in 'The Deb' Defamation Suit
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- Rebel Wilson was found not liable of defaming Charlotte MacInnes after an Australian judge dismissed the case on Wednesday, with Wilson thanking "the Australian legal system" in an Instagram post following the verdict.
- Charlotte MacInnes, who starred in Wilson's directorial debut "The Deb," claimed Wilson's Instagram posts damaged her reputation by suggesting she was sexually harassed by producer Amanda Ghost.
- The dispute centered on a Sept. 5, 2023 incident at Amanda Ghost's Bondi Beach bathroom after an evening swim, which Wilson described in a July 2024 Instagram video as "inappropriate behavior" toward MacInnes, alongside accusations Ghost embezzled funds from the film's budget.
- During April testimony in a Sydney federal court, MacInnes denied telling Wilson the bathroom episode made her uncomfortable, characterizing it instead as a nonsexual response to a medical episode.
- Wilson had previously sued Amanda Ghost for breach of contract and fraud, and in another social media post suggested MacInnes retracted her complaint to advance her music career.
- MacInnes released her debut album "Highwater" in June, with Ghost — who is partnered with Warner Music Group, Atlantic's parent company — listed as a collaborator on the LP.
Why it matters: Wilson's legal victory closes a dispute that entangled her film production, her prior fraud suit against Ghost, and MacInnes' emerging music career. The dismissal leaves Wilson's public allegations about Ghost on the record without legal consequence, even as MacInnes testified the bathroom episode was a medical response rather than harassment.
