April 20, (THEWILL) — Australian actress, Rebel Wilson, appeared in court in Sydney on Monday, April 20, as her defamation trial began.
The case relates to Instagram posts Wilson made in July 2024 about her film “The Deb”.
The case, filed by actress Charlotte MacInnes, the film’s lead actor, alleges Wilson falsely suggested on Instagram that she had privately complained about being sexually harassed by one of the film’s producers, Amanda Ghost, during a swim at Bondi Beach.
Court documents say Wilson did not check the claim before posting it, even though no formal complaint had been made.
MacInnes’s lawyers called Wilson a “bully” and said she took out defamation insurance before posting so she could “go ballistic” on social media.
Wilson denies the claims. Her lawyers say MacInnes did make the complaint but later changed her story to protect her career opportunities.
MacInnes is asking for aggravated damages and a court order to stop Wilson from repeating the claims.
The case is linked to events during filming in 2023. Wilson’s posts also referred to other members of the production team during wider disputes.
“The Deb” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 but faced delays in its Australian release due to the legal dispute.
The trial is expected to last nine days.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
