Rebel Wilson defamation case: Australian actor in court over Bondi bath dispute involving Charlotte MacInnes

Rebel Wilson’s lawyer alleged two British movie producers forced Australian actress Charlotte MacInnes to submit to their depraved sexual demands at a Bondi Beach apartment, the Federal Court heard on Monday.

Ms MacInnes, 25, is suing Ms Wilson for defamation over a series of Instagram posts that alleged the young actor “changed her story” about being sexually harassed in a Bondi Beach apartment during the production of The Deb movie in 2023.

Ms Wilson denies the claims and insists Ms MacInnes complained of being sexually harassed, but later denied it to boost her career.

“It’s a malignant allegation against my client that she sold the allegation of sexual harassment in exchange for her own commercial and professional benefit,” Sue Chrysanthou, SC, for Ms MacInnes told the court on Monday.

Disputed bathtime spirals into Federal Court battle

The court heard that Amanda Ghost, the movie’s British producer, got into a warm bath with Ms MacInnes at a Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach, penthouse apartment after the pair went for a cold swim on September 5, 2023.

Both wore their swimmers the whole time and no touching occurred, as Ms Ghost sought to recover from a medical episode triggered by the cold ocean water, the court heard.

A third party at the apartment Pia Ashcroft witnessed the pair in the bath as they drank chamomile tea and hot chocolate to warm up, the court heard.

The next day, September 6, 2023, in a Surry Hills recording studio Ms Wilson claims Ms MacInnes verbally complained to her of feeling sexually harassed during the bath.

“Frankly, a boss taking a bath with a young employee regardless of the circumstances is not the best workplace practice, even if as Ms Ghost contends she was recovering from a medical (episode),” said Dauid Sibtain for Ms Wilson.

“Our case is that it’s true she (Ms MacInnes) changed her story. The reason why she changed her story is obvious. She did so to ensure that her career as an actress and musician progressed by appeasing Ms Ghost. To say that the original complaint she made was never made.”

Mr Sibtain also told Justice Elizabeth Raper that Ms Wilson’s case was that there was no dispute the bath took place, nor that the conversation between Ms Wilson and Ms MacInnes occurred on September 6. The dispute is over whether the story was changed or not.

Later in 2024, Ms Wilson posted to her Instagram about the bath.

“When an actress on her first film is asked by a producer to stay in the same apartment as them, and then makes a complaint to me as the director saying said producer ‘asked her to have a bath and shower with her and it made her feel uncomfortable — what am I supposed to do?,” Ms Wilson asked her Instagram followers.

Ms Chrysanthou told the court that Ms Wilson only made the Instagram allegations against Ms MacInnes, after she fell out with The Deb movie’s producers about writing credits and its financing.

“She has been slagging off the main actress, the producers and the financiers and then alleges the film will never be released because of my client’s lies,” she said of Ms Wilson’s behaviour.

The trial, that pits an unknown actress against one of the best-known Australian actors in the world, who has appeared in 39 movies dating back to Fat Pizza in 2003, is set to last around two weeks.

It’s expected to include testimony from key witnesses Ms MacInnes and Ms Wilson who both attended court on Monday.

The Deb movie was released in Australia in April to generally positive reviews. It’s musical comedy set around a debutante ball in an Australian country town and is the first film directed by Ms Wilson.

Deranged letter

Earlier in court Ms Chrysanthou also referenced what she called a “deranged” June 2024 letter from US lawyer Brian Freedman allegedly on behalf of Ms Wilson.

The letter claims Ms Ghost and her husband, fellow movie producer, Gregor Cameron, embezzled $900,000 from the film’s budget.

It also alleged the husband and wife team created a “casting couch” situation at the Bondi Beach apartment to “comply with them for their depraved sexual demands.

“Ghost and Camron have persisted in commandeering coercive and physical control of the lead actress for their vile purposes,” the letter claimed.

“I think it’s clear who is unhinged and unethical (in) reading this letter,” said Ms Chrysanthou of the legal letter filed on behalf of Ms Wilson.