Legal representatives for an actress suing Rebel Wilson for defamation described the star as a “bully” in an Australian court. Charlotte MacInnes, the 25-year-old lead in Wilson’s directorial debut The Deb, alleges that Wilson used her large Instagram following to falsely portray her as a victim.
What may have begun as an effort to create a feel-good, crowd-pleasing film has since evolved into a sprawling dispute playing out across Australia, Los Angeles, and online.
Allegations and Court Claims
According to court documents, between September 2024 and May 2025, Rebel Wilson published a series of posts suggesting that Charlotte MacInnes had privately complained about an unwanted advance by producer Amanda Ghost. The posts allegedly implied that MacInnes later changed her account to secure further opportunities—an allegation she denies, maintaining she never made such a complaint to Wilson.
Rebel Wilson in the trailer for The Deb – Trailer Feed, YouTube
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Sue Chrysanthou, who leads MacInnes’s legal team, told the court that “Ms. Wilson was not a whistleblower seeking to protect a young actress,” instead describing Wilson as a “bully” who “slagged” her client online. Chrysanthou argued that Wilson sought to use MacInnes “as leverage” in her ongoing legal disputes with Ghost.
Earlier this year, Wilson accused producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden of intimidation and embezzlement. A Los Angeles judge, Thomas Long, dismissed several of those claims. Further complicating matters, a leaked recording obtained by The Hollywood Reporter suggested that a crisis PR team representing Wilson discussed plans to launch a smear campaign against Ghost.
Gregor Cameron and Amanda Ghost at SXSW 2023 – Fox 7 Austin, YouTube
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The sprawling trans-Pacific legal battle surrounding The Deb is also drawing an online audience. The defamation suit filed by Charlotte MacInnes is expected to run for nine days and is being livestreamed on YouTube.
Wilson’s Defense
Rebel Wilson denies the defamation allegations. Details of her full defense were not disclosed on the opening day, though earlier filings indicate she maintains she acted on genuine concerns raised during filming. Reports have also surfaced that Wilson secured defamation insurance prior to posting—an element MacInnes’s legal team has pointed to as evidence of premeditation.
Rebel Wilson in 2014 – The Graham Norton Show, YouTube
The Deb, Wilson’s feature directorial debut, was originally slated for high-profile festival premieres before the disputes escalated. Production wrapped in 2023, with a premiere planned for the 2024 Toronto Film Festival. Deadline reports that Wilson took her allegations public out of concern the film might not be screened. At the time, she posted a video to Instagram accusing the producers of “inappropriate behavior towards the lead actress,” setting the stage for the current defamation lawsuit.
A Narrative Still Unfolding
As the case unfolds, the central question extends beyond conflicting accounts to the power of public narrative. The “bully” label, invoked by Charlotte MacInnes’s legal team, has already begun to shape perceptions of Rebel Wilson as much as the underlying facts.
Charlotte MacInnes in the trailer for The Deb – Trailer Feed, YouTube
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With testimony still to come, the trial will test not only the truth of the claims but also the consequences of airing allegations in a digital arena. Its outcome may influence how disputes in the entertainment industry—and beyond—are fought, framed, and judged in the public eye.
Do you believe that Rebel Wilson is a bully? Let us know in the comments!
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Don’t hire women, they cause trouble.
“Nothing is as delicate as the friendship of girls, unless it be the hatred of women.” (Rien n’est aussi délicat que l’amitié entre jeunes filles, si ce n’est la haine entre femmes) – Marquise de Merteuil
Don’t go all fancy-pants on us. Them types of talk ain’t welcome round here in red neck, racist, misogynist land. English or GTFO!
pfft. Women. Can’t live with ’em and can’t change the laws to institute policies like in the Handmaid’s Tale… yet.
Also, in that interview image at the top, she looks like she came to the show right after participating in an Adele look-alike contest.