Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut, “The Deb,” has ignited a series of legal disputes following her allegations against the film’s producers on social media. In a now-deleted series of Instagram posts, Wilson specifically called out producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden. To her 11 million followers, Tinashe made these powerful allegations of theft, bullying, and sexual misconduct. These unsubstantiated allegations have produced a $25 million defamation suit against Wilson. In answer, to no avail, she’s filed a countersuit, adding a contentious tangle of counterclaims, discovery disputes and legal fees.
In July 2024, Cameron, Holden, and Ghost responded by filing a defamation suit against Wilson in the United States. They’re asking for damages for defamatory claims she posted in her Instagram stories. The lawsuit alleges that Wilson’s public statements have caused significant financial and reputational harm to the production company behind “The Deb.” The film was supposed to be released after a fancy premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2024 but still hasn’t seen the light of day.
Wilson’s response to the lawsuit was to substantially change its approach and double down with a countersuit launched in October 2024. In her counterclaims, she doubled down on a number of the producers’ allegations, further exposing the alleged environment of abuse that swarmed production. She stated that she has “wanted nothing more than to have the film released and have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this happen.”
Charlotte MacInnes, an actress who appeared in the film and featured in this controversy, finds herself at the center. Her lawyers served a concerns notice on Wilson, laying grounds for their intent to sue for defamation in his home state of Western Australia. Further, they vehemently deny that MacInnes ever said any of the things Wilson claimed MacInnes said, calling her description “false and seriously defamatory. MacInnes’s legal team contends that Wilson’s conduct was “improper, unjustified and lacking in bona fides.”
Wilson later posted to Instagram, and claimed that MacInnes was “backtracking” on her “claims” for filming while changing. He attributed this change to her strong-arming of one of the producers in the UK. The actress claimed that MacInnes had opened up to her about facing sexual harassment while they were both working on set.
“When an actress on her first feature film is asked by a producer to stay in the same apartment as them, and then makes a complaint to me as the director saying said producer ‘asked her to have a bath and shower with her and it made her feel uncomfortable’ – what am I supposed to do? Of course I reported it. There is no world where this is acceptable,” – Rebel Wilson
MacInnes’s lawyers contend that Wilson’s significant reach on Instagram amplifies the effect of her claims. They claim that her allegations went to such a wide audience that it was irreparably harmful to MacInnes’s reputation and career. They’re seeking compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees. Further, they seek a permanent injunction against Wilson preventing him from publishing defamatory statements regarding MacInnes in the future.
Wilson’s Instagram posts included a controversial image of MacInnes described as being “in a culturally inappropriate Indian outfit” while ironically singing a song from a film that may never be released due to alleged sabotage by MacInnes. The blog showed Wilson’s exasperation with MacInnes’s directives that she said hampered the debut of “The Deb.”
“So glad you got your record deal Charlotte at the expense of the 300 people who worked on The Deb and really wanna see it released,” – MacInnes’s lawyers
With this move, the production company of “The Deb” has intensified their legal fight by bringing yet another lawsuit against Wilson. This comes amid deepening rancorous fights that have already been roiling animosities. The suit alleges that Wilson intentionally undermined the film’s release while out of fear and self-interest. It further claims that her threats and defamatory statements resulted in nearly $400,000 in damages for the production.
Wilson has repeatedly expressed her shock at the draconian turn of events. She appropos on Instagram, calling them “stupid,” and reiterating her determination to get “The Deb” in front of moviegoers.
The story is still developing as both parties continue to toe the legal line with their competing claims. With several lawsuits still pending, the recriminations are strong and serious allegations are flying across party lines. The resolution of these arguments will have a lasting impact on the parties and the entire film production industry. It can largely come down to personal responsibility.