Sydney court clears Rebel Wilson of defamation charges
A Sydney court on Wednesday cleared Australian actor Rebel Wilson of defaming Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor in Wilson’s directorial debut “The Deb,” over allegations linked to social media posts Wilson made about MacInnes, reports BritPanorama.
MacInnes’ legal team confirmed to Reuters that an appeal of the decision by the Federal Court of Australia would be lodged shortly. The dispute between the two actors centered on an incident in September 2023 when MacInnes and one of the film’s producers went swimming at Bondi Beach and subsequently bathed together.
Wilson later posted on Instagram that MacInnes had complained to her about feeling uncomfortable during the incident but subsequently changed her account. MacInnes claimed the four posts, published between September 2024 and July 2025, were defamatory or breached her confidence.
However, Judge Elizabeth Raper found that the posts were not defamatory and that MacInnes failed to demonstrate that the publication caused serious reputational harm. “I do not accept that the meaning conveyed was inherently serious or of a defamatory nature,” Raper wrote in a lengthy judgment published after delivering her verdict.
“There is no evidence of the actual impact of the publication on Ms MacInnes’ reputation.” Wilson, known for her roles in Bridesmaids and the Pitch Perfect film series, thanked supporters in an Instagram post following the verdict. “I’m grateful this chapter has reached its conclusion and I’m looking forward to getting back to what I love most, my family and my work,” she said, expressing appreciation for the judge and the Australian legal system.
In 2017, Wilson won her own defamation suit against a global magazine publisher after an Australian court found a series of articles alleging she was a serial liar had damaged her career.
The case highlights ongoing tensions in the entertainment industry regarding the boundaries of social media expression and the consequences of online statements.
