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A judge in Australia found that Wilson’s comments about Charlotte MacInnes were not defamatory.
Key Points
- Rebel Wilson was cleared in a defamation case brought by The Deb costar Charlotte MacInnes.
- Wilson was accused by MacInnes of damaging her reputation by claiming that MacInnes was the victim of sexual assault on set.
- Wilson took to Instagram to celebrate her victory, saying she’s looking forward “to moving on.”
Rebel Wilson won the defamation case brought by her The Deb costar Charlotte MacInnes.
Wilson, 46, was cleared in the lawsuit on Wednesday as a Federal Court of Australia judge found she did not damage MacInnes’ reputation, according to Australia’s ABC News. In August 2025, MacInnes, 28, accused Wilson, who directed and appeared in The Deb in 2024, of defaming her by alleging that she was the victim of sexual misconduct committed by the movie’s producer, Amanda Ghost.
According to the document, reviewed by Entertainment Weekly at the time, MacInnes repeatedly denied that any such misconduct occurred, which subsequently prompted Wilson to claim that the actress “changed her story” in order to continue a professional relationship with Ghost, 51. MacInnes has reportedly received a record deal and was cast in the producer’s musical production of Gatsby.
As the judgement was handed down, Justice Elizabeth Raper stated that MacInnes had failed to establish that the matter caused, or was likely to cause, serious harm. The judge ordered MacInnes’ application be dismissed and that she pay Wilson’s legal costs.
MacInnes’ rep said she reportedly plans to appeal.
EW has reached out to both actors’ legal reps for further comment.
Wilson posted on her Instagram Stories following her victory, sharing a picture of herself and writing, “Thank you to the judge and the Australian legal system for this substantial win today in THE DEB matter: Look forward to moving on!”
She also posted a lengthier statement: “I know sometimes what I do can be ‘silly’ but to me it’s super important and I take my job really seriously. I love doing what I do and am so passionate about the things that I make and the brilliant people I work with. THE DEB, an Aussie musical comedy was my dream job – my directorial DEB-UT – my directorial debut, a celebration of Australian stories, and something I poured years of passion into alongside an incredible cast and crew. Seeing that journey disrupted has been incredibly difficult, but I have always believed it was a story worth telling.”
Wilson continued that the process taught her a lot and “tested” her, but she believes in standing up for what is right.
“I’m incredibly proud that I have continued making films, including my second film as director, GIRL GROUP, that is also pure fun and joy. And in MAJOR news it will co-incidentally also premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. I am SO proud and SO excited for audiences to experience these stories.”
The Pitch Perfect star concluded, “Thank you to everyone who has supported me. I’m grateful this chapter has reached its conclusion and I’m looking forward to getting back to what I love most, my family and my work. Thank you to the Judge and the Australian legal system who I have the utmost respect for.”
According to the judge, Wilson “has a propensity to exaggerate events and her evidence could be found to be untruthful on occasion,” but it was established that she “acted in a manner consistent with a complaint being made and her own contemporaneous documentary trail supports this.”
Justice Raper found that while one of Wilson’s social media posts about MacInnes in 2024 did convey an imputation, it was not defamatory.
Wilson is also facing a legal battle with The Deb producers after she accused Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden of holding the movie hostage and trying to block its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024.
She claimed they sought payback after she reported them for inappropriate behavior toward MacInnes in October 2023, and alleged they embezzled money from the movie’s budget.
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Wilson also claimed she was subjected to “absolute viciousness and retaliatory behavior” for “speak[ing] the truth and warn[ing] people of these people in the industry who are just not behaving ethically.”
The producers then sued Wilson for defamation in 2024, according to documents made available by The Hollywood Reporter, and detailed a combative relationship between them and Wilson. They claimed she refused to collaborate, deserted the production for months at a time, and repeatedly made unauthorized and inappropriate disclosures about the movie.
Ghost also accused Wilson and her PR team of concocting a smear campaign against her. The legal battles are ongoing.
The Deb was released earlier this year in Australia.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
