Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has been accused of a 'complete revision of history' in a defamation case that's become more tangled than a Bondi Beach bath scene. Charlotte MacInnes, the young Australian actress starring in Wilson's film 'The Deb,' is suing the 'Bridesmaids' star for harming her reputation through Instagram posts in 2024 and 2025.
Wilson claimed MacInnes had retracted a sexual harassment complaint against a film producer in exchange for professional favors - a claim MacInnes denies. Over three weeks, the court heard allegations that Wilson ordered a smear website targeting the producer (she denies this) and that MacInnes scored a major record deal months after sharing a bath with the producer.
The whole affair traces back to September 2023, when MacInnes - a 2021 graduate of Western Australian acting academy - went swimming at Bondi Beach with Amanda Ghost, a producer on Wilson's film. Ghost suffered an allergic reaction to the cold water, breaking out in red welts and shaking uncontrollably, so the pair retreated to Ghost's luxury beachside rental. Ghost showered while MacInnes ran a bath; both ended up in the bath wearing swimsuits, with Ghost's assistant briefly bringing hot drinks.
According to Wilson's affidavit, MacInnes later told her, 'Amanda asked me to have a bath and shower with her and it made me feel uncomfortable.' Wilson said she was 'shocked' and 'very troubled by the idea that something untoward or sexual had happened.' Yet two days later, after a call with MacInnes, Wilson texted Ghost: 'Charlotte says all good. She just meant 'it was a bizarre situation' not that she felt personally uncomfortable x.'
Lawyers for MacInnes called Wilson's claims 'malicious concoctions' and accused her of using the incident as 'leverage' in contract negotiations for more money. Wilson was also accused of bullying women on 'The Deb' - 'absolute nonsense,' she retorted. In closing submissions, Sue Chrysanthou SC argued the bath incident couldn't have led to sexual harassment since Ghost was suffering a medical episode, branding Wilson a 'fantastical liar' who made up 'terrible' allegations. Wilson's lawyer Dauid Sibtain SC countered that MacInnes's career hadn't suffered - it flourished, with more acting roles and a record deal.
Justice Elizabeth Raper is expected to reserve her decision. Meanwhile, Wilson faces two more legal cases in Australia and the US, both brought by 'The Deb' producers, including Ghost. Because nothing says 'Hollywood drama' like a defamation case involving a bathtub, a record deal, and a whole lot of he-said-she-said.