‘Nightmare situation’: Rebel Wilson denies making up narrative to divide young actor and producer after alleged complaint, defamation trial told

Rebel Wilson has denied creating a “nightmare situation through a series of lies” weeks out from shooting her “girl power movie” during her blockbuster defamation trial. The Bridesmaids actor is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, her co-star in her directorial debut The Deb, over a series of social media posts that allegedly implied the younger actor walked back a sexual harassment complaint against one of the film’s producers. Rebel Wilson has thanked those from the cast and crew of her directorial debut The Deb for supporting her through her defamation trial as she arrived for a second day of questioning at the Federal Court in Sydney. The Pitch Perfect star denied suggestions she “made up” a narrative to divide Ms MacInnes and Ms Ghost as she was quizzed about the alleged complaint during her second day in the witness box on Wednesday. “This is a nightmare situation, to have the financial producer living with and having a bath and shower with a young actress … and that actress comes to me and tells me that five weeks before shooting,” Ms Wilson told the trial. “It is an absolute nightmare situation for me, who’s a first time director, making a movie that is essentially a girl power movie.” She branded claims from Ms Chrysanthou that it was a “nightmare situation you created through a series of lies” as “nonsensical”. “I worked for years (on the film) … it would not at all be in my interest to make up a sexual harassment complaint between those two very important people,” Ms Wilson replied. It comes after the actor on Tuesday said she was “shocked” by Ms MacInnes’ alleged complaint, telling the court that it was “the worst thing that could have fallen into my lap at that point”, as they were weeks out from shooting. “I took it as sexual harassment complaint … I’ve worked for years on this movie, we’re weeks out from shooting, and this is such a fun girl power movie,” Ms Wilson said on Tuesday. “And the worst thing that could have fallen into my lap at that point is a sexual harassment complaint.” She also took the chance to deny suggestions she “mistreated women” during the production of The Deb, maintaining she regards herself as a “champion of women”. Ms Wilson thanked The Deb cast and crew for their support as she walked into the Federal Court in Sydney on Wednesday morning. “Because I have such respect for the legal process I am not allowed to comment about anything whilst the trial is continuing, but yeah thanks everybody for being here,” Ms Wilson said outside court. “Thanks to everybody, but particularly The Deb cast and crew who have been supporting me through this.” At the centre of the case is a bath Ms Ghost and Ms MacInnes shared in September 2023 at the producer’s penthouse in Bondi, with both women wearing swimmers to warm up in the bath after the producer suffered a medical episode following a sunset swim at Bondi Beach. The Hollywood actor alleges Ms MacInnes told her that she was uncomfortable with the bath incident but later withdrew the complaint to further her career, but Ms MacInnes denies ever making a complaint. More to come