One of Hollywood’s most recognizable comedic stars, Rebel Wilson, has forcefully rejected allegations that she bullied female colleagues on the set of her directorial debut, calling the claims “absolute nonsense” during her first day of testimony in a high-stakes defamation trial unfolding in Sydney. The legal action against the *Bridesmaids* actor was brought by 26-year-old Australian performer Charlotte MacInnes, who appeared in Wilson’s first feature film as director, *The Deb*. The case centers on a string of Instagram posts Wilson published between 2024 and 2025 that MacInnes argues have irreparably damaged her professional reputation.
At the core of the dispute is how MacInnes described a 2023 incident involving producer Amanda Ghost, who also worked on *The Deb*. In her posts, Wilson alleged MacInnes had initially complained of sexual harassment by Ghost during a post-swim encounter at Bondi Beach, only to withdraw the claim to advance her own career. MacInnes vehemently denies ever making a sexual harassment allegation against Ghost, saying Wilson’s version of events is entirely fabricated.
The incident that sparked the entire conflict dates to September 2023, when MacInnes and Ghost joined for an late-afternoon swim at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach. Ghost suffered a sudden and severe allergic reaction to cold water, a rare condition called cold urticaria that left her covered in painful red welts and shaking uncontrollably, the court heard during earlier proceedings. The pair hurried back to Ghost’s nearby beachside apartment, where MacInnes drew a hot bath to help ease Ghost’s symptoms. After Ghost got into a shower to warm up first, MacInnes stepped into the bath to warm herself; Ghost later joined her, and both remained in their swimsuits. Ghost’s assistant eventually brought hot drinks to the bathroom, where the three spoke briefly before the assistant left.
After the incident, Wilson spoke with MacInnes about what happened, and while both sides agree the conversation took place, they offer vastly conflicting accounts of its content. Wilson maintains MacInnes told her the encounter left her feeling “uncomfortable”, while MacInnes says she only ever described the situation as “weird” and “bizarre”, never indicating she felt sexually threatened or uncomfortable. Text messages presented to the court show Wilson told Ghost immediately after the conversation that “Charlotte says all good” and “She just meant ‘it was a bizarre situation’ not that she personally felt uncomfortable.”
When cross-examined by Sue Chrysanthou SC, MacInnes’ lead barrister, Wilson was pressed on her public self-identification as a “champion of women” — a label Wilson affirmed she still embraces. Chrysanthou challenged Wilson on this stance, pointing to accusations that the actor had publicly and privately mistreated MacInnes, Ghost, and a female writer on the set of *The Deb. “That’s absolute nonsense,” Wilson told the packed courtroom, which was filled with reporters, supporters from both sides, and multiple witnesses including Ghost. Wilson also pushed back on claims that her critical public social media posts about the women constituted mistreatment, arguing the statements were truthful, not malicious.
Throughout hours of questioning, Wilson repeatedly said she could not recall key details related to the case, including widespread backlash she received in 2018 after claiming she was the “first ever plus-sized girl” to lead a romantic comedy. She also denied any involvement in anonymous websites that have spread damaging rumors about both Ghost and MacInnes. Prosecutors have previously alleged Wilson hired a U.S. public relations firm to create websites that compared Ghost to disgraced sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal ring. Prosecutors have also raised the issue of a nude photo of MacInnes that was leaked online after her social media accounts were hacked, though no link between Wilson and the hack has been proven in court.
Wilson’s legal team has argued MacInnes has not suffered any professional harm from the Instagram posts, pointing instead to a string of career advances she has secured since the posts were published: MacInnes recently signed a record deal with major label Atlantic Records and landed a role in a new U.S. theater production being produced by Ghost. MacInnes is seeking aggravated damages for the alleged defamation and a court order to stop Wilson from repeating the claims on any public platform.
Wilson’s testimony is scheduled to continue on Wednesday, as the high-profile trial progresses through Sydney’s court system.