Hollywood star Rebel Wilson is set to take the witness box for a second day in the defamation case brought against her by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor in her directorial debut, The Deb. MacInnes initiated civil proceedings after Wilson publicly accused her of complaining about sexual harassment by the film's senior producer, Amanda Ghost, following a sunset swim at Bondi Beach in September 2023.
Wilson has also accused MacInnes of lying about the complaint, alleging she did so after being offered a record deal and a lead role in another production by Ghost. MacInnes denies that any sexual harassment occurred, that she made a complaint, or that she lied about it in exchange for a contract.
Rebel Wilson's Low-Ball Offer for a Record Contract
Court documents reveal that Rebel Wilson offered the young star less than $2,000 for international exclusive rights to all her future recordings, under a contract for up to four albums. The Pitch Perfect star and her production company, Unigram, extended this offer to singer and actor Charlotte MacInnes after she was cast in the lead role for the musical comedy film The Deb. Unigram is owned by Amanda Ghost and her husband, Gregor Cameron, and co-produced the film with Wilson, who also directed and starred.
On Tuesday, the Federal Court heard that Wilson and Ghost were impressed by MacInnes' talent following her film audition in 2023. They gave her the lead role and offered a recording contract under Wilson's imprint label, Rebellionaire, with an advance of £1,000 (approximately AU$1,800) in exchange for rights to her future as a recording artist. However, the contract was not a guaranteed record deal; instead, it gave Wilson and Unigram the option to offer MacInnes a record deal if they chose, with no obligation to do so.
The agreement also tied MacInnes' future career to the release of The Deb. If Wilson and Unigram decided to grant her a record deal, they would have to do so no later than one year after the initial commercial cinematic release of the film. This effectively linked her music career to the film's release, meaning that if the film was delayed or shelved, MacInnes would be locked into the contract indefinitely and prohibited from signing with another record label.
The contract included a table for advances MacInnes would receive if she released up to four albums with Rebellionaire, but the minimum and maximum figures were left blank. MacInnes did not sign the contract, telling the court last week that it was a bad deal. She instead signed with Atlantic Records and received an advance of approximately $145,000.
Rebel Wilson to Be Cross-Examined for a Second Day
Rebel Wilson is being sued for defamation in the Federal Court by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor in The Deb. MacInnes launched legal proceedings in September after a series of Instagram posts in which Wilson accused her of complaining about unwanted sexual advances by producer Amanda Ghost and then lying about it to secure a record contract. MacInnes denies that the sexual assault occurred, that she complained about it to Wilson, or that she retracted it in exchange for another lead role and a record deal.
The situation unfolded after MacInnes and Ghost had a sunset swim at Bondi Beach on September 5, 2023. Ghost experienced a flare-up of a rare condition called cold urticaria, which causes hives or swelling after exposure to cold air or water. MacInnes took her back to their rented Bondi penthouse and ran a hot bath. MacInnes got into the bath with Ghost, both wearing swimming costumes. Wilson claims MacInnes felt uncomfortable about bathing with Ghost, who was her boss at the time, and made a complaint to Wilson. MacInnes says she never felt uncomfortable about the bath and denies making any complaint.
According to MacInnes' statement of claim, Wilson's posts accused her of lying about sexual assault and blocking the film's release, portraying her as selfishly prioritizing her own career over the cast and crew who worked on The Deb. She claims Wilson's social media posts damaged her professional reputation and created doubts about her trustworthiness before she played her first lead role in a film. MacInnes is seeking aggravated damages for serious harm caused, as well as a court order preventing Wilson from repeating the claims online.
