Rebel Wilson has secured a significant legal victory after an Australian court dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against her by actor Charlotte MacInnes, bringing another chapter of the long-running The Deb controversy to a close. The Federal Court of Australia ruled in Wilson’s favor, rejecting both the defamation and breach-of-confidence claims that stemmed from a series of Instagram posts published over the past two years. The decision also requires MacInnes to cover Wilson’s legal costs, marking a major outcome in a dispute that has drawn attention across the entertainment industry.
The case centered on social media posts Wilson shared between September 2024 and July 2025, in which she discussed events connected to the production of The Deb, her feature directorial debut. MacInnes argued that the posts damaged her reputation by suggesting she had changed her version of events surrounding an uncomfortable incident involving the film’s producer, Amanda Ghost. Wilson consistently maintained that MacInnes had originally expressed discomfort before later altering her account, a claim that became the focus of the courtroom battle.
Court Finds Posts Were Not Defamatory
Justice Elizabeth Raper, delivering the judgment in Sydney, examined whether Wilson’s Instagram posts carried defamatory meanings as claimed by MacInnes. After reviewing the evidence, the court concluded that only one of the alleged meanings could reasonably be drawn from the posts. That meaning related to Wilson’s September 23, 2024, post, which suggested that MacInnes had changed her account after initially saying she felt uncomfortable about the incident.
The court determined that this statement was not defamatory because an ordinary reasonable person would not automatically think less of someone simply because they had changed their version of events. Justice Raper also found that MacInnes failed to demonstrate the posts caused serious damage to her reputation or professional standing. As an additional finding, the judge concluded that Wilson had successfully established the substantial truth of the statement at the heart of the dispute.
The judgment further noted that the evidence supported Wilson’s account that MacInnes had, in fact, expressed discomfort shortly after the incident before later changing her position. While Justice Raper raised concerns about the reliability of testimony given by several witnesses, she ultimately accepted Wilson’s evidence on this central issue.
The Bath Incident Remained at the Center of the Case
The legal dispute originated from an incident on September 5, 2023, during the production of The Deb. According to evidence presented in court, MacInnes and producer Amanda Ghost went swimming at Sydney’s Bondi Beach before returning to their apartment. Ghost reportedly suffered a severe reaction to the cold water, after which both women entered a bath while still wearing their swimsuits.
Justice Raper acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding the incident were highly unusual, writing, “To say that the circumstances surrounding how they came to be in the bath are unusual would be an understatement.” However, the court made it clear that it was not deciding whether the situation involved sexual harassment or had any sexual element. Instead, the judgment focused solely on whether MacInnes had complained of feeling uncomfortable and whether Wilson’s public comments about that complaint were defamatory.
The judge found that Ghost had placed the younger actor in a difficult and stressful situation, but emphasized that the proceedings were never intended to determine whether any sexual misconduct had occurred. That issue remained outside the scope of the case before the court.
Career Harm Was Not Proven
A major part of MacInnes’ argument was that Wilson’s Instagram posts exposed her to online criticism and damaged her acting career. The court, however, found no convincing evidence that the publications resulted in lost professional opportunities. The judgment highlighted that MacInnes signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in October 2025 and later released two singles, suggesting her career had continued despite the controversy.
The breach-of-confidence claim also failed. MacInnes argued that Wilson had publicly disclosed confidential information relating to an alleged sexual harassment complaint. Justice Raper rejected that argument, finding that MacInnes had not established she made such a complaint in the first place. The court also ruled that other legal requirements necessary to support the breach-of-confidence claim had not been satisfied.
During the proceedings, MacInnes’ legal team sharply criticized Wilson’s credibility. Her barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, told the court, “She is a fantastical liar who has made up terrible, terrible allegations about multiple people and her own witnesses have discredited her.” Despite those submissions, the judge concluded that Wilson’s evidence on the key issue was more persuasive than the competing versions presented during the trial.
Following the ruling, Wilson welcomed the outcome and expressed gratitude that the lengthy legal battle had finally come to an end. “This has been a long process and throughout I have tried to stay grounded in my values and what I believed was right,” Wilson said in a statement. She also reaffirmed her belief in The Deb, describing the film as a story about individuality, resilience and the courage to be oneself.
Wilson later shared her reaction on Instagram, writing that she was “grateful this chapter has reached its conclusion” and was looking forward to returning to “what I love most, my family and my work.” She also thanked “the Judge and the Australian legal system,” adding that she has “the utmost respect” for both.
Although this ruling resolves MacInnes’ Australian lawsuit against Wilson, it does not end every legal matter connected to The Deb. Separate disputes involving Wilson and producers associated with the film remain ongoing, meaning the project’s legal saga has not completely reached its final act.
