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 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 In the posts, Wilson suggested MacInnes had withdrawn a complaint of sexual harassment against the film’s producers to further her career as an actor and singer.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. 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. One of the key claims related to an incident in September 2023, when MacInnes and producer Amanda Ghost shared a bath at a Sydney penthouse rented by the production company.
Incident Details
MacInnes and Ghost said they were both in their swimsuits and entered the bath to warm up after Ghost had a physical reaction to swimming in the cold sea at the city’s Bondi Beach. Ghost said in her submission to the court that she was shivering uncontrollably and breaking out in welts that she hoped would disappear after warming up. MacInnes was also cold and the bath was big enough for both women, she said.
Backing Ghost’s version of events, MacInnes said in her affidavit: There was nothing sexual in any way. However, Wilson claimed that MacInnes had told her that Ghost had asked her to take a bath and shower with her and that the experience made her uncomfortable. Wilson said she understood MacInnes to be reporting sexual harassment on set, and that as the director she was obliged to act on it.
Justice Raper found that only one of the claims was made out – that MacInnes had changed her story about being uncomfortable, and that was not defamatory. The case was dismissed with MacInnes ordered to pay costs.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
