Rebel Wilson Was Called a “Fantastical Liar” in Court

There is a particular kind of celebrity story that feels familiar: a famous woman speaks out against misconduct, positions herself as a truth‑teller, and the public applauds. It is a clean, satisfying narrative. The Rebel Wilson defamation case is not that story.

Wilson, best known for Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids, is currently being sued by actor Charlotte MacInnes, the lead in the musical comedy The Deb, a film Wilson directed, co‑produced and appeared in. MacInnes claims Wilson defamed her in a series of social media posts that painted her as a liar and a sellout who walked back a sexual misconduct complaint to further her own career.

And in closing submissions this week, MacInnes’ barrister did not hold back. Sue Chrysanthou SC accused Wilson of a “complete revision of history” and called her a “fantastical liar” who made up “terrible, terrible allegations about multiple people”. Let’s break down what MacInnes actually alleges, because the gap between Wilson’s public framing and the evidence that emerged in court startles me.

The Incident at the Heart of the Case

The story centres on a September 2023 incident involving The Deb co‑producer, Amanda Ghost. According to court reports, Ghost suffered a medical episode, specifically, a reaction to cold water while swimming. She and MacInnes went inside, and the two ended up sharing a bath in their swimwear to warm Ghost up. An assistant brought tea. It was, by all accounts, a fairly unglamorous, practical response to a health scare.

Wilson’s social media posts allegedly claimed that MacInnes had told Wilson she felt uncomfortable about the bath incident, and that MacInnes later recanted that complaint. In other words, Wilson suggested that MacInnes had initially flagged something inappropriate, then changed her story when it suited her.

MacInnes denies all of that. She says she never made any complaint, never felt uncomfortable, and never retracted anything. Her barrister told the court the uncontested facts are simple: a medical episode occurred, nobody felt uncomfortable, and a witness did not think anything untoward happened.

“One can hardly imagine a less sexy environment for some kind of harassment to occur – shaking and hives and tea,” Chrysanthou said.

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“We Say Ms Wilson Cannot Be Believed on Anything”

That is an extraordinary thing for a barrister to say about a famous actor in open court. But Chrysanthou went further; she argued that Wilson lied to Ghost about receiving a complaint specifically to create division between Ghost and MacInnes. She also argued that Wilson sent a text accusing MacInnes of leaking information to the film’s writer, and that text showed Wilson’s determination to undermine the younger actor’s relationships.

“She is a fantastical liar who has made up terrible, terrible allegations about multiple people, and her own witnesses have discredited her,” Chrysanthou told the Federal Court. “We say Ms Wilson cannot be believed on anything she has said.”

Wilson rejects the defamation claims. Her barrister, Dauid Sibtain SC, will make his own closing arguments. And Wilson’s own evidence has pushed back hard on the idea that MacInnes suffered real harm.

In her affidavit, Wilson pointed out that MacInnes later secured a lead stage role and a six‑figure record deal. Wilson also noted that pictures showed MacInnes on international trips and in expensive hotels. “She’s changed her story, she’s flip‑flopped and she’s been given huge benefits,” Wilson testified.

The Ugly Power Imbalance No One Is Ignoring

We do not reflexively believe every accusation, nor do we assume a famous person’s guilt just because someone files a lawsuit. But the ugly details emerging in this case should disturb anyone.

Back in March, leaked audio revealed that Rebel Wilson’s crisis PR team allegedly plotted a much darker scheme. Court filings cite a recording in which digital strategist Jed Wallace instructs publicist Melissa Nathan to create anonymous websites falsely accusing producer Amanda Ghost of “procuring young women for the pleasure of the extremely wealthy”. Wallace reportedly says on the tape: “It’s got to be really, really heavy and connected to something that heavy”. Ghost’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez of Depp-Heard fame, alleges Wilson was not merely involved but “the driving force behind them,” directly contradicting Wilson’s sworn testimony.

The now-deleted sites branded Ghost the “Indian Ghislaine Maxwell” and a sex trafficker. Wilson denies directing the sites; her team claims no direct involvement. This disturbing scheme came amid Wilson’s 2024 accusations that Ghost and other The Deb producers embezzled funds and committed sexual harassment. And whatever the court decides, the damage from a powerful person’s accusations, especially when a celebrity is accused of being connected to a campaign that branded a rival a sex trafficker.

The Bigger Question: What Happens When a Whistleblower Narrative Cracks?

Rebel Wilson has spent years cultivating an image as the blunt, no‑filter outsider who tells hard truths. That persona worked, and audiences loved it. But in this case, the evidence reported so far suggests something different: a powerful actor allegedly took an innocent medical incident, attached a sexual misconduct narrative to it, and then used social media to damage a younger colleague’s reputation.

If that sounds harsh, it is worth remembering that Wilson denies defaming MacInnes. The court has not ruled. We are reporting what MacInnes’ legal team argued, not a verdict.

But the reputational damage is already visible. A younger actor says she was dragged into a public scandal she did not create. A celebrity who built a brand on outspoken opinions offscreen now faces brutal questions about her own version of events. And The Deb, a film that should have launched careers, has become a case study in how quickly power can turn accusation into spectacle.