Rebel Wilson rejects phone dumping claim as defamation trial over ‘The Deb’ continues in Sydney court

Actor told court her phone was stolen in London while facing questions over missing messages and online allegations

Rebel Wilson has rejected allegations that she deliberately disposed of her phone to avoid handing over key communications in an ongoing defamation trial in Sydney, describing the claim as “absolutely outrageous” during evidence at the Federal Court of Australia.

The Pitch Perfect star is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor in Wilson’s directorial debut The Deb, over social media posts that MacInnes says damaged her reputation by implying she was dishonest and had withdrawn a sexual harassment complaint for career advancement. Wilson strongly denies those claims and maintains that she acted appropriately in response to concerns raised during production.

In court, Wilson told the judge she understood a conversation with MacInnes to be a disclosure of discomfort involving co-producer Amanda Ghost, which she said she treated seriously at the time. She stated, “I was pretty shocked by it,” explaining that she believed she was dealing with a formal complaint within a professional setting.

A central point of dispute has been Wilson’s inability to produce some message records requested by the plaintiff’s legal team. She told the court her phone had been stolen in London and that certain conversations were not backed up, leaving her unable to retrieve them. Under cross-examination, she was asked whether she had in fact discarded the device, which she firmly denied.

“That is absolutely outrageous,” Wilson said in response to the suggestion that she had intentionally disposed of the phone.

The court also examined text exchanges between Wilson and MacInnes from 2023, including a message in which Wilson criticised the younger actor for failing to respond after being invited to a theatre event. Wilson rejected suggestions that the tone of her message amounted to bullying, stating she did not consider a single communication to constitute harassment.

MacInnes alleges she was defamed by Wilson’s public comments and further claims her social media accounts, including Snapchat, were compromised after legal action began, resulting in the leak of a private image. Wilson has denied any involvement in hacking or cyber activity directed at MacInnes.

The case has also explored Wilson’s account of tensions during production, including what she described as a sensitive situation involving alleged inappropriate behaviour raised on set. She maintains she acted in good faith as a first time director trying to manage a complex production environment.

Wilson is expected to continue giving evidence as the trial progresses, with further scrutiny anticipated over digital records, communications, and the sequence of events surrounding the dispute.