Rebel Wilson ‘uneasy’ over alleged power imbalance between actor and producer on her film: court docs

Rebel Wilson claims she felt “uneasy” with an alleged power imbalance between a young actor and producer during the production of her troubled film The Deb, as she faces a defamation lawsuit.

Actor Charlotte MacInnes — who starred in the film — is suing Wilson in the New South Wales (NSW) registry of the Federal Court.

The case centers on a series of social media posts allegedly made by Wilson which, lawyers for MacInnes claim, imply the young actor lied when denying she had made a complaint that one of the film’s producers, Amanda Ghost, allegedly sexually harassed her, documents released by the court and seen by NewsWire claim.

The social media posts allegedly implied that MacInnes “changed her story” about the alleged complaint in return for a lead role in another of Ghost’s productions and a record deal.

It was also allegedly implied by another of Wilson’s posts that MacInnes supported people allegedly trying to block the film’s release in exchange for a record deal.

The documents say the claims are “false and seriously defamatory”, harming MacInnes’ reputation at a critical point in her career.

While Wilson has admitted to making some of the social media posts, she denies they carried the defamatory claims made by MacInnes’ lawyers.

Rebel ‘very uneasy’ about actor staying in producer’s penthouse

New documents released by the court have revealed Wilson’ was “very uneasy” about MacInnes’ relationship with Ghost.

Wilson’s defense, filed to the Federal Court last week, states that she and MacInnes attended an event on a yacht to promote the film around May 24, 2023, along with other cast members.

They were asked to sing songs written for the film on the yacht by Ghost, but MacInnes was asked by Ghost to return to the yacht “late in the evening” to sing after the event, the documents allege.

“When Wilson later learned about this, she felt uneasy,” the documents claim.

Months later in or about early September, rehearsals for the film kicked off in Sydney.

Ghost had allegedly arranged for MacInnes to stay with her in her penthouse in Bondi despite hotel accommodation being arranged for all cast and crew, the documents claim.

“When Wilson learned about this, she, again, felt very uneasy because Ghost was much older than MacInnes and there was a power imbalance between them in that Ghost was a producer of the film,” the documents allege.

Wilson allegedly told Ghost she thought it was “inappropriate” for the young actor to be staying with her, and that this could be viewed as favoritism by other cast and crew members; however, MacInnes stayed in the penthouse from late August to mid September 2023, the documents allege.

The shower and bath incident

MacInnes and Ghost went for a swim at Bondi on September 5, 2023, and allegedly “showered and bathed together at Ghost’s invitation” when back at the penthouse, documents filed by Wilson allege.

“Such sexual behavior or harassment by a co-producer on the Film towards a young actress in the Film was completely inappropriate and unacceptable, especially in the context of their workplace relationship,” the documents allege.

MacInnes then told Wilson the incident had made her uncomfortable.

However, documents earlier filed on behalf of MacInnes paint a different picture of the alleged incident, instead claiming Ghost had suffered a medical episode in the water and MacInnes had run a hot shower and bath for her back at the penthouse as a result.

Both women had remained in bathing suits, documents for MacInnes claim, and another member of the production team was present during this.

Documents for MacInnes claim Wilson lied by telling Ghost the young actor had made a complaint against her.

MacInnes later told Wilson she was not uncomfortable with what had unfolded, however Wilson claims the young actor lied by saying this.

Producer accused of putting hand on actor’s thigh

The documents filed by Wilson also allege MacInnes later told the A-lister that Ghost had repeatedly asked her out for drinks, which made her uncomfortable.

The cast and crew attended a party around this time, with Ghost allegedly putting her hand on MacInnes thigh “in a sexual manner” as clips of the film were shared around.

The trial, which has not yet been given a start date, is expected to last up to four weeks.

The matter was heard in the NSW Federal Court on Friday, where Justice Elizabeth Raper ordered Wilson to file her statement by December 10 and the rest of her evidence by February next year.