Hollywood actor and director Rebel Wilson has been cleared of defamation against the lead actor on her film The Deb.
Charlotte MacInnes sued Ms Wilson in the Federal Court over a series of disparaging social media posts, which accused the young actor of recanting a complaint of sexual assault to further her own career.
Ms MacInnes, represented by barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, denied making the complaint.
The 28-year-old claimed general and aggravated damages, arguing Ms Wilson damaged her reputation.
In handing down her judgement on Wednesday, Justice Elizabeth Raper said Ms MacInnes had failed to establish that the matter caused, or was likely to cause, serious harm.
Justice Raper found that while one of Ms Wilson’s social media posts did convey an ‘imputation’ about Ms MacInnes, it was not defamatory.
The judge ordered Ms MacInnes’s application be dismissed and that she pay Ms Wilson’s legal costs.
Shortly after the hearing concluded, Ms Wilson posted a picture of herself on Instagram with a statement.
“This process has taught me a lot. It has tested me, but it has also reinforced something I’ve always believed,” she said in the post.
“Thank you to the judge and the Australian legal system for this substantial win today in THE DEB matter: Look forward to moving on!”
Actor Charlotte MacInnes (left) was represented by barrister Sue Chrysanthou in her defamation trial. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)
‘Unusual’ bath circumstances
The actor of Pitch Perfect fame was being sued in the Federal Court by Ms MacInnes, who stars in Ms Wilson’s “fun girl-power” film The Deb.
Ms MacInnes claimed Ms Wilson defamed her in a series of social media posts from July 2024 that suggested Ms MacInnes walked back an account of sexual harassment at work in a bid to get more acting jobs.
Ms Wilson suggested in court that Ms MacInnes told her she felt “uncomfortable” when the film’s producer and financier Amanda Ghost asked her to have a bath and shower with her.
The Deb faced legal challenges on its way to Australian cinemas. (Supplied: John Platt)
The incident occurred at Bondi Beach in 2023, and Ms Ghost, 51, gave evidence she had a severe skin reaction to the cold water after an ocean swim.
Ms MacInnes said she ended up in the bath with Ms Ghost, both women with their swimmers on, to get warm.
Ms Wilson claimed Ms MacInnes complained to her at work the next day that the incident made her feel uncomfortable, but Ms MacInnes maintains she never made a complaint.
“This is such a fun girl-power movie, the worst thing that could have fallen into my lap … was a sexual harassment complaint against a producer,” Ms Wilson said during the trial.
Justice Raper found Ms MacInnes did complain about the bath incident to Ms Wilson.
“It is my view that the evidence establishes that she changed her story [as to her being uncomfortable] … she was concerned she was losing control of the situation and sought to contain it and to ‘walk back’ her complaint that she was not ‘personally’ uncomfortable,” she found.
“Whilst I accept that Ms Wilson has a propensity to exaggerate events and her evidence could be found to be untruthful on occasion, the evidence establishes that Ms Wilson acted in a manner consistent with a complaint being made and her own contemporaneous documentary trail supports this.”
Film producer Amanda Ghost gave evidence in the trial. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)
Justice Raper found that while one of Ms Wilson’s social media posts in 2024 did convey an imputation about the plaintiff, it was not defamatory.
The Federal Court judge said she did not accept that “the assertion of someone changing their story, for which there could be innumerable reasons for why they did, determined objectively by reference to community standards, is defamatory”.
Wilson was accused of defaming MacInnes by claiming she walked back an allegation of sexual harassment in exchange for favours by a producer. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid, Abubakr)
She also found Ms MacInnes would have failed to establish that the post seriously harmed her reputation.
‘Unreliable witnesses’
The Federal Court judge described all three women as “unreliable witnesses”.
“I have serious misgivings as to the truthfulness of the testimony of each of Ms MacInnes, Ms Ghost and Ms Wilson,” Justice Raper said.
The court previously heard about a website created by Ms Wilson’s US-based PR firm that alleged Ms MacInnes was assaulted by Ms Ghost.
The website, named ‘amandaghostsucks.com’ claimed that Ms Ghost was a “Indian Ghislaine Maxwell” and that Ms MacInnes recanted her story about being sexually harassed by Ms Ghost, because the influential producer gave her further acting and singing jobs.
The Deb opened in Australia in April, following lengthy delays and separate legal battles.
The trial wrapped up in May.
Look back at how ABC readers and other Australians responded to this live
moment.
Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 3:51pm
Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 3:51pm
Live coverage wrapping up
This is where we will leave our live coverage of the Federal Court judgement which has cleared Rebel Wilson of defamation against The Deb lead actor Charlotte MacInnes.
Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 3:20pm
Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 3:20pm
Rebel Wilson to focus on family, work
Ms Wilson has also issued a separate statement to the media.
“I’m grateful the Court has taken the time to carefully consider the evidence and reach its decision,” she said in the statement.
“This has been a long process and throughout I have tried to stay grounded in my values and what I believed was right. I’m thankful that process has now reached its conclusion.
“I have always believed in the importance of telling stories that reflect real experiences and give people the opportunity to see themselves represented.
“The Deb is a story I’m incredibly passionate about because it celebrates individuality, resilience and the courage to be yourself. I hope audiences will experience the story for themselves and connect with the values at its heart.
“Right now, what I’m focused on is what matters most, my family and my work.”
Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 2:53pm
Wed 22 Jul 2026 at 2:53pm
‘A story worth telling’
In her social media statement, Ms Wilson described The Deb as her “dream job”.
“Seeing that journey disrupted has been incredibly difficult, but I have always believed it was a story worth telling,” she said in her statement.
“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.”
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