MacInnes Denies Wilson Bath Complaint in Defamation Trial
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- Charlotte MacInnes testified in federal court that she "never made a complaint to Ms Wilson" about sharing a bath with producer Amanda Ghost — the alleged complaint at the centre of the defamation battle.
- The bath incident occurred on 5 September 2023 after Ghost suffered a medical episode on Bondi beach, with MacInnes helping her back to the apartment they shared; MacInnes said she and another woman suggested the bath to warm Ghost up.
- Wilson's social media posts alleged MacInnes had dishonestly retracted her complaint in exchange for a lead role in a stage production and a record deal, according to the young actor's defamation claim.
- Wilson's barrister Dauid Sibtain SC challenged MacInnes on the stand, noting her original statement omitted any mention of sharing the bath with Ghost and suggesting it was "false or at least highly misleading."
- Tensions between the two were already visible in May 2023, four months before the bath incident, when MacInnes skipped a theater outing with Wilson to dine with Ghost instead — prompting Wilson to text that it was "not a great start to our working relationship."
- The Deb, Wilson's directorial debut and the film at the heart of the dispute, was released in Australia in April after legal issues prevented its wider rollout following its 2024 film festival premiere.
Why it matters: MacInnes's testimony directly contests the social media claims she says derailed her acting career and blocked The Deb's wider release, putting the burden on Wilson to prove the posts were substantiated. With the trial ongoing, the verdict will determine which party bears responsibility for a defamation case that has already delayed a major Australian film release.
