Rebel Wilson has come under renewed scrutiny in court proceedings connected to her filmThe Deb,with testimony revealing that members of a crisis public relations firm allegedly described her as 'f—ing nuts' during internal communications about the case.
According to evidence presented in an Australian Federal Court, Wilson had worked with a crisis PR agency as part of the wider fallout surrounding disputes over the film's production and promotion. The case centres ondefamation claimsinvolving actress Charlotte MacInnes and producer Amanda Ghost, with allegations that social media posts and related material damaged reputations during the ongoing dispute, perGuardian.
MacInnes has rejected these claims, arguing that she has instead been damaged by suggestions that she retracted her alleged remarks in return for a lead acting role and a recording contract.
Her lawyer, Sue Chrysantou SC, told the court that the accusation amounted to a serious and harmful claim, describing it as 'a malignant allegation against my client that she sold the allegation of sexual harassment in exchange for her own professional and commercial benefit.'
Court evidence heard in Sydney alleges that Rebel Wilson instructed The Agency Group to create and publish a series of websites as part of a crisis management strategy, in which she has consistently denied being involved.
Former employee Katie Case told the Federal Court that Wilson became a client of the PR firm in July 2024, after the alleged complaint by Charlotte MacInnes, and that she was later directed by senior staff to work on material for what was described as a potentially aggressive 'take-down' website intended for use in ongoing legal disputes.
Court documents reportedly included text messages between PR agency staff that reportedly contained strong internal criticism of Wilson. In one exchange, Wilson was referred to as 'f—ing nuts' in a text message sent by The Agency Group's staff. Case said she was given a drafted document to edit without knowing its origin, and later discovered metadata linking it to Wilson's company.
Case also told the court she had never met or spoken directly with Wilson, and acknowledged that the document could have been altered by others before reaching her.
According to The Guardian, the same evidence outlined discussions about creating and managing online content related to Amanda Ghost, including websites that were allegedly intended to challenge or discredit claims made during the legal conflict. Wilson has denied any involvement in commissioning or directing such material.
The legal battle stems from tensions surroundingThe Deb,Wilson's directorial debut, which has been at the centre of multiple lawsuits and defamation claims. The case involves competing accounts over alleged misconduct, reputational harm, and public statements made during and after production, perReuters.
Source: International Business Times UK
