Rebel Wilson Wins Defamation Case Brought by Actress Charlotte MacInnes

The dispute centered on a series of Instagram posts made by Wilson between September 2024 and July 2025. In those posts, Wilson alleged that MacInnes had initially complained to her about inappropriate behavior by the film’s co-producer, Amanda Ghost, during a September 2023 incident at a Bondi Beach apartment, only to later retract that account to protect her career prospects.

The Bondi Beach Bath Incident

The core of the legal battle involved a September 2023 encounter between MacInnes and Ghost. During the trial, evidence revealed that after an ocean swim, Ghost suffered a medical episode and a severe skin reaction to the cold water. The two women retreated to Ghost’s rented apartment, where MacInnes prepared a bath. Both women then entered the bath while wearing swimsuits.

Wilson testified that MacInnes had told her the following day, Amanda asked me to have a bath and shower with her and it made me feel uncomfortable. However, MacInnes consistently denied ever making such a complaint, insisting that the incident was a non-sexual response to a medical emergency.

“To say that the circumstance surrounding how they came to be in the bath are unusual would be an understatement.”

Justice Elizabeth Raper, presiding judge

Court Findings on Credibility and Defamation

While the court ruled in Wilson’s favor, the judgment was not a total endorsement of any party’s testimony. Justice Raper expressed serious misgivings regarding the truthfulness of MacInnes, Ghost, and Wilson alike.

Ultimately, the legal threshold for defamation was not met. According to Reuters, Justice Raper noted that there is no evidence of the actual impact of the publication on Ms MacInnes’ reputation. The judge further ruled that MacInnes failed to establish that the social media posts had caused or were likely to cause serious harm, as required under Australian law.

Wilson’s Response and Future Legal Hurdles

Following the verdict, Wilson took to Instagram to express relief that the matter had reached its conclusion. 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, she wrote. She added her gratitude to the Australian legal system who I have the utmost respect for.

For Wilson, the win is a significant milestone, but it does not resolve the entirety of the legal friction surrounding her directorial debut. As ABC News reported, the star is still managing multiple court battles involving the film’s producers, who are currently pursuing her in courts in the U.S., U.K., and New South Wales over allegations that she blocked the movie’s release. Despite these ongoing disputes, The Deb is scheduled for a U.S. digital release on August 25.

Her legal team, led by barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, had previously characterized Wilson’s claims as a complete revision of history. As of Wednesday, neither MacInnes nor her representatives had provided a public comment on the court’s decision.