Ruling Ends Legal Conflict Over ‘The Deb’
A Sydney court has dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by actress Charlotte MacInnes against director and star Rebel Wilson. Justice Elizabeth Raper ruled on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, that Wilson’s social media posts concerning MacInnes were not defamatory, ordering the plaintiff to pay Wilson’s legal costs.
The dispute centered on four sets of Instagram posts published between September 2024 and July 2025. MacInnes, who stars in Wilson’s directorial debut The Deb, alleged that Wilson’s comments unfairly portrayed her as having lied about a sexual harassment complaint to advance her career. Wilson, however, maintained that she was a “truth-teller” and that she believed MacInnes had initially expressed discomfort regarding an incident with producer Amanda Ghost.
The ‘Bath-Sharing’ Incident
The central point of contention involved a September 5, 2023, incident at a Sydney apartment. Following a cold-water swim at Bondi Beach, producer Amanda Ghost and MacInnes shared a bath while wearing swimsuits. While both women testified that the interaction was non-sexual and intended to warm Ghost up after a physical reaction to the cold water, Wilson claimed that MacInnes had privately told her the situation made her uncomfortable.
Justice Raper, in her ruling, described the circumstances of the bath-sharing as “unusual.” Crucially, the court found that MacInnes had not proven the posts caused serious harm to her professional reputation. The judge noted that there was no evidence the posts had resulted in lost work, observing that MacInnes signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in October 2025 and has since released music.
Broader Legal Context
While this specific defamation claim has been resolved, the production of The Deb remains the subject of a wider legal dispute. Wilson is currently involved in separate, ongoing litigation with the film’s producers—Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden. These disputes have included allegations of defamatory and false claims, as well as accusations regarding the handling of the film’s premiere and distribution.
Wilson, who has previously navigated high-profile legal battles, including a 2017 defamation case against Bauer Media, expressed relief that this chapter has concluded. The Deb, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024, is scheduled for a U.S. release in August 2026.