Rebel Wilson Called a 'Bully' in Court amid Defamation Claim by “The Deb” Actress

Charlotte MacInnes alleges that the 'Pitch Perfect' star's claims — that she walked back a sexual harassment complaint — have damaged her reputation

NEED TO KNOW

• Rebel Wilson has been accused of defamation by an actress in a lawsuit after Wilson claimed the actress was sexually harassed by a producer but walked back the complaint to better her career
• Actress Charlotte MacInnes is suing Wilson over Instagram posts she made in 2024 and 2025
• The case comes after multiple legal proceedings between Wilson and the producers of the film, which was her directorial debut

Rebel Wilson is defending herself against a defamation claim — including being called a "bully" in court — brought by an actress who appears in her directorial debut, The Deb. The woman alleges that the Pitch Perfect star made damaging comments about her and a producer involved with the 2024 movie musical.

Charlotte MacInnes is suing Wilson, 46, over Instagram posts shared in 2024 and 2025 that claimed the budding star was sexually harassed by Amanda Ghost but then walked back her complaint in order to better her career, ABC Australia, BBC and Deadline reported. PEOPLE have previously reached out to Ghost about these claims, which she and other producers on the movie have denied in a countersuit filed in 2024.

Wilson alleged on social media that MacInnes had felt uncomfortable after sharing a bath with Ghost at an apartment in Bondi, Australia, during production of the film. She also alleged that the North Shore actress retracted a complaint about the producer in exchange for a record deal and a major theater role, per ABC Australia.

However, in a Sydney court on Monday, April 20, MacInnes' legal team — including barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC — said that the comments made by Wilson are nothing more than "malicious concoctions," the BBC reported. The actress also denied making the complaint, claiming the allegations have tarnished her reputation for integrity and honesty and is seeking damages.

Chrysanthou described the allegations as "malignant" and told the court that, on Sept. 5, 2023, Ghost had a medical episode when she was swimming with her client. She claimed that the pair returned to the apartment, where MacInnes ran a hot bath for Ghost so that the producer could warm up. The two then got in the tub together while still wearing their swimsuits, Chrysanthou said, the outlets reported.

Lawyers for MacInnes said these posts damaged her reputation, with Chrysanthou describing Wilson as a "bully" for her alleged treatment of her client, Deadline reported.

ABC Australia reported that on Monday, Chrysanthou also alleged that "Wilson had, via a lawyer, contracted third parties to publish anonymous claims about Ghost." Wilson has denied this claim.

Dauid Sibtain SC, Wilson's barrister, countered these arguments in court. "Even if Ms Ghost was, as she contends, recovering from a medical episode by warming up in the bath, a junior employee might feel perhaps an even greater sense of discomfort by being in the bath at the same time," he said. He also argued that MacInnes has not suffered serious reputational harm as a result of Wilson's claims.

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The trial is expected to continue for nine days.

As PEOPLE has previously reported, Wilson has been embroiled in a series of disputes with the producers of The Deb. Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden first filed a lawsuit against Wilson in July 2024, claiming she sought to receive "credit for work she did not do" on the film related to its original music.

Wilson filed a countersuit, accusing them of adding unapproved fees, amounting to about $900,000 Australian dollars (almost $650,000 U.S. dollars) to themselves.

The production company, AI Film, then filed a lawsuit in July last year, alleging that Wilson had deliberately sabotaged the movie's release. In response, Wilson wrote on her Instagram Stories that the suit "makes no sense."

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