Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has successfully defended claims she defamed a young actress who played the lead role in her directorial debut. An Australian judge on Wednesday dismissed the case brought by “The Deb” actress Charlotte MacInnes, who had accused the “Pitch Perfect” star of spreading lies about her to millions of followers on Instagram.
Background of the Case
MacInnes said the posts had made her the “subject of abuse, hatred and ridicule online” and affected her career prospects. Justice Elizabeth Raper disagreed. In the posts, Wilson suggested MacInnes had withdrawn a complaint of sexual harassment against the film’s producers to further her career as an actor and singer. MacInnes denied ever having made a complaint.
The claim and counterclaim are among serious allegations – including of smear campaigns and embezzlement – aired in multiple court cases now swirling around the production of the Australian musical comedy. Set in an outback Australian town, “The Deb” tells the story of two very different cousins – one from the city and one from the country – who unite ahead of a debutante ball.
Wilson told “60 Minutes Australia” last year that the legal storm that engulfed the making of her first feature film was “like your worst nightmare,” and the issues had “come out of left field.” In an Instagram post after Wednesday’s ruling, Wilson thanked the judge and the Australian legal system for the “substantial win,” and said she was looking forward to moving on.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
