Rebel Wilson appeared in a Sydney court on Monday to defend a defamation lawsuit brought by actor Charlotte MacInnes, the star of Wilson's directorial debut, "The Deb."
MacInnes was also present for the commencement of the hearing, which is being streamed live on YouTube and is expected to last nine days.
The litigation centers on claims that Wilson damaged the reputation of the young actor through a series of four Instagram posts, Deadline reported.
In these social media updates, including one published in September 2024, the "Bridesmaids" star alleged that MacInnes had been sexually harassed by the film's producer, Amanda Ghost.
Wilson further alleged that MacInnes subsequently colluded with Ghost to cover up the incident.
Sue Chrysanthou, the lawyer representing MacInnes, branded Wilson a "bully" for "slagging" the actor in the public domain.
Chrysanthou argued to the court that "Ms. Wilson was not a whistleblower who was seeking to protect a young actress," but was instead raising these concerns "as leverage" during a separate, pre-existing dispute with the film's producers regarding "budgets and contracts."
The heart of the case involves a specific incident occurring in September 2023.
Following a swim at Bondi Beach, Ghost reportedly suffered a flare-up of cold urticaria, a medical condition that essentially renders an individual allergic to cold water.
The court heard that Ghost was shaking uncontrollably and breaking out in hives, prompting MacInnes to help her back to a Sydney apartment.
The two women then bathed together in swimsuits to help warm Ghost's body temperature.
While Wilson has claimed that MacInnes personally told her the incident made her feel uncomfortable, MacInnes denies ever making such a statement.
David Sibtain, Wilson's lawyer, told the court that the "central issue for determination in this case … is this: whether Ms. MacInnes reported to Ms. Wilson that she'd been asked by Ms. Ghost to shower and bathe with her and whether she said it made it feel uncomfortable and whether she later changed her story."
Wilson has alleged that MacInnes withdrew her initial complaint after being offered significant career incentives by Ghost, including a record deal and a role in a "Gatsby" stage show.
Sibtain suggested that the "wealth of prizes and opportunities" MacInnes received were the direct result of her having "decided to tie herself to Ms. Ghost."
Furthermore, the court heard allegations that Wilson took out a defamation insurance policy in March 2024 so she could "go ballistic" about Ghost and other producers online.
This legal conflict continues to overshadow "The Deb," a feel-good musical about outback teenagers attending a debutante ball.
Although the film was released in Australia this month, the disputes in Sydney and Los Angeles have left the production without a distributor in the U.S.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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