Hollywood actor and director Rebel Wilson has been cleared of accusations that she defamed up-and-coming actor Charlotte MacInnes.
In the Federal Court, Justice Elizabeth Raper ruled that Wilson did not defame MacInnes through a series of social media posts that suggested MacInnes had withdrawn an account of alleged sexual harassment in order to improve her future acting opportunities.
MacInnes played a leading role in the film The Deb, which was directed and produced by Wilson.
In May, the court heard testimony from Wilson, who said MacInnes had told her she felt uncomfortable after the film’s lead producer, Amanda Ghost, asked her to share a shower and later a bath. The dispute centred on a medical episode involving Ghost at Bondi Beach on 5 September 2023. The court heard that, following the incident, Ghost and MacInnes shared a bath while wearing swimwear to warm up.
MacInnes sued Wilson over a series of social media posts that, according to the claim, suggested she had retracted a complaint in order to advance her career. Represented by prominent barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC, MacInnes denied making the complaint and sought general damages, aggravated damages, and damages for breach of confidence.
In her judgment, Justice Raper found that MacInnes had failed to establish that the publications caused, or were likely to cause, serious harm to her reputation. The application was dismissed, and MacInnes was ordered to pay Wilson’s legal costs.
Neither Wilson nor MacInnes was present in court when the judgment was delivered, and neither has publicly commented on the decision.
