Charlotte MacInnes accuses Wilson of giving “false evidence” and “dishonest statements” during initial trial
Actress Charlotte MacInnes has appealed an Australian court’s dismissal of her defamation lawsuit against Rebel Wilson.
MacInnes, who starred in Wilson’s directorial debut The Deb, filed a notice of appeal to Australia’s Full Court of the Federal Court Thursday, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reports, a day after the judge in the case ruled in favor of Wilson.
In her appeal, MacInnes accused Wilson of giving “false evidence” and “dishonest statements” in the initial defamation trial.
The actress’s lawsuit accused Wilson of sharing Instagram posts that suggested she was sexually harassed by Amanda Ghost — a producer on The Deb whom Wilson previously sued for breach of contract and fraud. MacInnes claimed the posts damaged her reputation.
The legal battle focused on a disputed incident that took place at Ghost’s Bondi Beach bathroom on Sept. 5, 2023, after she and MacInnes went for an evening swim. In an Instagram video posted in July 2024, Wilson accused the producer of “inappropriate behavior” towards MacInnes that night, as well as embezzling funds from the film’s budget and trying to bury The Deb as retribution for Wilson’s reporting of the alleged “behavior.”
MacInnes later disputed Wilson’s account, describing the incident as a nonsexual response to a medical episode, and denied telling Wilson that the incident made her feel uncomfortable.
As part of her appeal, MacInnes is seeking a new trial for her defamation lawsuit with a different judge, as well as seeking to overturn the ruling that she pay for Wilson’s legal costs.
