Rebel Wilson issues response after winning court case against actress in own film
Rebel Wilson has heaped praise on the Australian legal system after being cleared of claims that she defamed her co-star.
The Pitch Perfect actress shared a lengthy statement to social media on Wednesday (22 July) morning after a judge dismissed the case waged by Charlotte MacInnes.
She told fans that she had learned 'a lot' while defending online posts that she made on Instagram more than a year ago - while describing the entertainment industry as being 'full of sharks'.
Wilson, 46, was sued by fellow Aussie actress MacInnes, who took on the lead role in her 2024 film The Deb.
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The musical comedy marked Wilson's directorial debut - while she also produced and acted in the flick - but she says this experience was 'disrupted' by the lawsuit which was lodged last year.
MacInnes claims centred around an incident in September 2023 involving another film producer who worked on The Deb, Amanda Ghost.
The pair went for a swim at Bondi Beach before Ghost suffered an allergic reaction, resulting in them both returning to an apartment the production company was renting in Sydney.
She showered while 28-year-old MacInnes ran a bath for her - and they both ended up getting into this together while wearing swimsuits. Each of them described this as a non-sexual encounter.
According to Wilson, MacInnes later informed her of this experience and stated that she felt 'uncomfortable'.
The comedian claimed that the actress told her: "Amanda asked me to have a bath and shower with her and it made me feel uncomfortable."
Wilson - known for her roles in films such as Bridesmaids, What to Expect When You're Expecting and The Hustle - considered this as the actress reporting sexual harassment and said she felt obliged to act.
However, she later accused MacInnes of withdrawing her remarks in favour of being given career opportunities by Ghost.
Wilson then made four Instagram posts in 2024 and 2025 which outlined this, suggesting she had retracted her complaint - which The Deb star denies ever making - so that she could further her career.
MacInnes said these social media posts made her the 'subject of abuse, hatred and ridicule online', as well as impacting her job prospects.
However, Justice Elizabeth Raper dismissed the allegations that Wilson had harmed her reputation and ruled that she had 'changed her story about feeling uncomfortable about what happened in the bathroom'.
"MacInnes has failed to establish that the publications have caused or were likely to cause serious harm," the judge said while announcing the verdict on Wednesday.
Justic Raper also remarked: "To say that the circumstances surrounding how they came to be in the bath are unusual would be an understatement." MacInnes has been ordered to pay Wilson's costs.
Wilson celebrated her court triumph in an Instagram post where she thanked fans for her support and told how her passion in life is 'entertaining people'.
"Affecting people in this positive way is what drives me to work those incredibly long hours and to keep going amongst a sea of rejection in an industry full of sharks," she wrote.
Discussing how her job is 'super important to her' and something that she takes 'really seriously', Wilson went on: "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."
'It has tested me'
"Seeing that journey disrupted has been incredibly difficult, but I have always believed it was a story worth telling," the actress said. "This process has taught me a lot.
"It has tested me, but it has also reinforced something I’ve always believed. I want to live my life standing up for what I believe is right, while continuing to create work that brings people joy.
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.
"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."
LADbible has contacted MacInnes for comment.
Topics: Rebel Wilson, Celebrity, Australia, Film, Instagram
Olivia Burke