Actor turned singer Charlotte MacInnes has lost her defamation case against Hollywood star Rebel Wilson. A Federal Court judge found on Wednesday that Wilson had not defamed MacInnes in a series of social media posts.
MacInnes, who starred in Wilson's directorial debut film "The Deb," had alleged that Wilson implied she was a liar and a sellout who withdrew a sexual harassment complaint to advance her career. Wilson's posts contended that MacInnes had confided in her and later recanted an account of feeling uncomfortable when the film's co-producer, Amanda Ghost, asked to share a shower and bath.
MacInnes, then 25, denied making or retracting any complaint, stating she was not uncomfortable when she and Ghost shared a bath in their swimwear at Bondi Beach in September 2023 after Ghost experienced a medical episode. MacInnes testified that Ghost had a medical episode during their swim.
Just before the court's decision, MacInnes released a song titled "Only Pretend," the third track on her debut EP "Highwater." The lyrics include lines such as "Threw me to the wolves, Wasn't yours to give away; I hear stories, So I run to the waves..." and references to "ghost," singing "I never knew a ghost would be this loud." The EP was released on June 26, and MacInnes posted the lyrics to all five tracks on Instagram on Wednesday morning.
During closing arguments in May, MacInnes's barrister, Sue Chrysanthou SC, accused Wilson of a "complete revision of history" and being a "fantastical liar." Wilson's barrister, David Sibtain SC, argued that MacInnes gave false evidence under oath and had no harm, let alone serious harm, from the posts.
Wilson maintained she was a "truth-teller" and that her posts were an act of telling the truth, not an attack. Her legal team argued she had no motive to lie and that it was MacInnes who dishonestly withdrew her complaint about Ghost to maintain a beneficial relationship with the producer, securing a lead role and a record deal linked to Ghost.
Justice Elizabeth Raper found in favor of Wilson two months after the conclusion of evidence and submissions. The judge stated that MacInnes had failed to establish that the publications caused or were likely to cause serious harm. As a result, MacInnes was ordered to pay Wilson's legal costs.
Following the ruling, Wilson issued a statement expressing gratitude for the support and the legal system. She described the legal process surrounding her directorial debut as "incredibly difficult" but stated it reinforced her belief in standing up for what she believes is right while continuing to create joyful work.
MacInnes had sought aggravated damages for alleged harm including anxiety and a period without work. Wilson had denied fabricating the complaint or raising it for leverage in disputes with co-producers over the film's budget and writing credits.