Rebel Wilson cleared in defamation case brought by actress in her own film
BBC News 2026-07-22 05:33:04
Context: Rebel Wilson, a renowned actress known for her roles in films like Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect, has been cleared of defamation charges brought by Charlotte MacInnes, a young Australian actress who starred in Wilson's film The Deb. The case centered around Wilson's Instagram posts in 2024 and 2025, in which she accused MacInnes of retracting her complaint of sexual harassment against a film producer to further her career. A Sydney court ruled in favor of Wilson, dismissing the case and ordering MacInnes to pay Wilson's costs.
Key Facts
- Rebel Wilson was sued by Charlotte MacInnes, a young Australian actress who starred in Wilson's film The Deb, for allegedly defaming her in Instagram posts made in 2024 and 2025.
- The posts in question accused MacInnes of retracting her complaint of sexual harassment against film producer Amanda Ghost so she could further her career, a claim MacInnes denied.
- The case was heard in a Sydney court, where Justice Elizabeth Raper dismissed the defamation charges, ruling that the imputation that MacInnes had changed her story about the incident was not defamatory.
- MacInnes had claimed that Wilson's allegations had harmed her reputation, but the judge found that she had failed to establish that the posts had caused or were likely to cause serious harm, citing a recent record deal signed by MacInnes as evidence.
- Wilson reacted to the verdict on Instagram, stating that the process had "taught me a lot" and that she was "grateful this chapter has reached its conclusion," also thanking her supporters and the Australian legal system.