Rebel Wilson speaks out after co-star filed lawsuit against her for reporting alleged sexual harassment
Topics: Film and TV, Rebel Wilson, US News
William Morgan
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/ 60 Minutes Australia
Topics: Film and TV, Rebel Wilson, US News
Australian acting star Rebel Wilson has addressed the claims and counter-claims that have been swirling around since she became a 'whistleblower' for sexual harassment on the set of her new film The Deb.
The 45-year-old Pitch Perfect alum sat down with 60 Minutes Australia to speak for the first time about the lawsuits flying between herself and various production members ahead of her directorial debut's release.
Wilson is now facing a defamation lawsuit from The Deb's lead star, Charlotte MacInnes, for filing a sexual harassment claim on her behalf, which she denied, and for then later claiming that MacInnes refuted the allegation to further her own career.
The director claims that MacInnes, 25, told her that producer Amanda Ghost, 51, had suffered a bad reaction to cold water and gone back to her home with the film's lead to warm up in a shower - a claim the star called 'completely false and absurd' in a retaliatory lawsuit.
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The fiery legal claims between members of The Deb's production began in July 2024, when Wilson claimed producers Gregor Cameron, Vince Holden, and Ghost were attempting to prevent the film from debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival.
She also accused them of taking part in 'bad behavior' on set to her millions of Instagram followers, which caused the producers to open defamation proceedings against her.
The 45-year-old first time director then filed a counter claim against the trio, alleging a pattern of 'illicit behaviors, including theft, bullying', which included the claim that MacInnes has suffered a mental breakdown after being sexually harassed by Ghost.
Addressing the situation on Sunday, November 23, Wilson said: "I felt that in my position as director, I had to report that. And the moment I did, [it] started all the kind of retaliation against me."
She also told 60 Minutes' Tara Brown that she was '100%' sure MacInnes had said to her: "Amanda Ghost asked me to [take] a bath and shower with her, and it made me feel really uncomfortable."
When pressed on why she had made the complaint on MacInnes behalf, Wilson said: "She came to me, she made what I obviously inferred as a sexual harassment complaint, and I had a duty to then act on it."
Interviewer Brown then surprised Wilson by presenting her with alleged texts between Ghost and the director that appear to show the film's lead was 'all good' after the shower incident, with the pair sharing cordial messages.
"How I would describe those texts, is I'm trying to maintain professional communication with Amanda Ghost — she's the producer, she's the access to the money for the film," Wilson explained. "This is weeks before we start shooting the movie, and I'm trying to keep a very professional communication, but at the same time I'm feeling very uneasy."
Brown also pushed Wilson on why she had disregarded MacInnes' claims that no sexual harassment had taken place, which the director has separately claimed was due to her receiving a part in Ghost's stage production of The Great Gatsby.
"I think, when it gets into the details in court, I don't think anyone in their right mind believes that a medical incident occurred and Amanda Ghost needed the body warmth of an actress to save her life. It's just not credible," Wilson said.
Doubling down on her criticism of the producers working on her debut film, the 45-year-old Bridesmaids actor described being 'locked in a room' and forced to sign a series of documents. "At the time, I said, 'What is this? This is like the KBG," she said.
She claimed the drama on set had come from 'UK producers'. "I was, kind of, the target of this incessant bullying and harassment because I'd spoken out about the behavior of these UK producers," she told Brown.
The interviewer then asked Wilson what her response to claims that she had been a bully during the production. She responded: "No, I see that as, like, standing up for my movie and the hard work that everyone put into it for years."
The Deb is set to be released in Australia and New Zealand, though there is no release date set for its international release.
UNILAD has reached out to the producers' legal representation and representatives of MacInnes for comment.