Australian actress Rebel Wilson has won a defamation case brought against her by actress Charlotte MacInnes, who alleged that Wilson damaged her reputation through a series of Instagram posts related to events surrounding the production of the film The Deb.
Justice Elizabeth Raper dismissed the lawsuit on Wednesday, ruling that the statements challenged by MacInnes were not defamatory. The court also ordered MacInnes to pay Wilson’s legal costs.
MacInnes, who appeared in The Deb, sued the Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids star over social media posts published in 2024 and 2025. In the posts, Wilson claimed that MacInnes had withdrawn a sexual harassment complaint against one of the film’s producers to advance her career. MacInnes denied the allegation.
Court finds no defamation
In delivering her judgment, Justice Raper held that the implication that MacInnes had changed her account of the incident was not defamatory.
The judge also found that MacInnes failed to prove the Instagram posts had caused, or were likely to cause, serious harm to her reputation, a key requirement in defamation proceedings.
Case centred on 2023 beach incident
The dispute stemmed from an incident in September 2023 involving MacInnes and Amanda Ghost, one of the producers of The Deb.
According to evidence presented in court, the pair went swimming at Sydney’s Bondi Beach before returning to Ghost’s rented apartment after the producer suffered an allergic reaction to the cold water.
MacInnes ran a bath for Ghost, who later joined her in the bathtub while both were wearing swimsuits.
Justice Raper remarked on the unusual circumstances surrounding the incident.
“To say that the circumstance surrounding how they came to be in the bath are unusual would be an understatement,” she told the court.
Wilson welcomes ruling
Shortly after the judgment, Wilson posted on Instagram expressing relief that the legal battle had come to an end.
“The process has taught me a lot,” she wrote.
“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.”
Wilson thanked her supporters, the judge and Australia’s legal system, saying she was “grateful this chapter has reached its conclusion.”
Trial heard conflicting accounts
During the three-week trial earlier this year, Wilson testified that MacInnes initially told her she felt uncomfortable after the bath incident involving Ghost.
Wilson said she later contacted MacInnes again to clarify the situation. Following their conversation, Wilson sent Ghost a text message stating: “Charlotte says all good. She just meant ‘it was a bizarre situation’ not that she felt personally uncomfortable.”
Lawyers representing MacInnes argued that Wilson’s allegations were “malicious concoctions” and claimed the actress had directed a smear campaign against Ghost through a website, an allegation Wilson denied.
Wilson’s legal team maintained that MacInnes had not suffered reputational damage, noting that the actress had recently secured a record deal despite the disputed Instagram posts.
