SYDNEY, April 20 (Reuters) – Australian actor Rebel Wilson appeared in a Sydney court on Monday at the start of a defamation case brought by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor in Wilson’s directorial debut “The Deb”, over allegations linked to a series of social media posts made by Wilson.
MacInnes claims Wilson falsely suggested in Instagram posts that she had privately confided in her about being sexually harassed by one of the film’s producers.
Court filings allege Wilson, the star of three “Pitch Perfect” movies and “Bridesmaids”, failed to seek verification from MacInnes and made the claims despite knowing no complaint had been made.
The posts on Wilson’s Instagram account, with more than 11 million followers, allegedly implied that MacInnes had lied when she denied discussing harassment or inappropriate behaviour by producers on “The Deb”.
While Wilson has denied the claims, her legal defence has not been disclosed.
MacInnes, who was also in court for the hearing, is seeking aggravated damages and a court order preventing Wilson from repeating the allegations online or elsewhere.
Wilson also alleged in the July 2024 posts that executive producer Vince Holden, along with producers Amanda Ghost and Gregor Cameron, attempted to block the film’s premiere in retaliation for her raising concerns about the alleged misconduct, according to reports in Australian media.
A separate lawsuit was filed against Wilson by “The Deb” producers in a U.S. court and a court in the Australian state of New South Wales, reports said.
“The Deb”, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024, faced delays in its Australian theatrical release earlier this month due to the legal issues.
“I love The Deb, I mean, it’s so cute and amazing. Thank you to everyone who’s going to the cinemas,” Wilson told reporters outside the court.
The hearing for the defamation case is expected to last nine days.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
