Rebel Wilson faces fresh legal trouble as The Deb's lead actress Charlotte MacInnes has issued a defamation notice against her, escalating the growing controversy surrounding Wilson’s directorial debut. MacInnes is seeking legal action in Western Australia, alleging Wilson made false and damaging claims on Instagram involving serious misconduct during the film’s production.
The claims stem from Instagram stories posted by Wilson in mid-2024, where she stated that a producer behaved inappropriately toward MacInnes. Wilson alleged the actress came to her as director, saying the producer invited her to bathe and shower together. She also suggested MacInnes later reversed her account and aligned with the producer, who allegedly offered her a leading role and a record deal.
MacInnes denies these allegations entirely. Her legal team states that Wilson’s posts were knowingly false and constitute serious defamation. They also claim that Wilson’s public naming of MacInnes as a supposed harassment victim was unauthorised and has caused reputational damage within the film industry.
Further fuelling tensions, Wilson also shared posts from The Deb's official Instagram account, allegedly mocking MacInnes for singing on a billionaire’s yacht in a ‘culturally inappropriate’ outfit. These captions accused her of hypocrisy and claimed her actions had helped block the film’s release, hurting hundreds involved in the project.
MacInnes is now demanding damages, legal costs, and a permanent injunction to prevent Wilson from repeating these accusations. The dispute is the latest in a web of legal battles linked to The Deb, with three producers already suing Wilson for defamation in the US, and a separate lawsuit filed in New South Wales alleging sabotage.
Online, reactions remain divided. Some fans have called for the film to be released, while others urge Wilson to step back from public commentary. Neither Wilson nor her representatives have publicly responded to MacInnes’s legal threat.
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