CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual misconduct.
Rebel Wilson‘s directorial debut The Deb has become part of a messy legal battle, with a young Australian actress fighting back at some serious allegations made by the Pitch Perfect star.
Charlotte MacInnes, who stars in the comedy, has claimed that Wilson fabricated sexual abuse accusations and subjected her to bullying and harassment on set.
The allegations have come to light as part of a multimillion-dollar defamation case filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court. According to the court documents, MacInnes alleged that Wilson repeatedly made false claims about three of the film’s producers — Amanda Ghost, Gregory Cameron, and Vince Holden — sexually harassing and abusing her, even after MacInnes had explicitly denied anything of the sort.
“I was deeply disturbed by this behaviour, and felt very bullied and harassed by Wilson, who was the director of the film and in a position of authority over me,” MacInnes alleged in the court filings, per The Guardian.
“I also understand [there were] claims that I was subjected to ‘depraved sexual demands’ and that ‘MacInnes remains captive by Ghost and Cameron as she is shuttled from city to city with them including Boston, New York and London’,” she said per Us Weekly.
“These statements are completely false and absurd. I have no idea what could cause Wilson and her attorney to make up such lies about me.”
The controversy began back in July when Wilson shared an Instagram video alleging she had reported the film’s producers for “bad behaviour” towards the lead actress. She claimed that since making those reports, she had faced “absolute viciousness and retaliatory behaviour”.
“This is the work of hundreds of people who’ve put their heart and soul into this, and this behaviour is absolutely vile and disgusting,” Wilson said.
In response to Wilson’s allegations, Ghost, Cameron, and Holden filed a defamation lawsuit against her in July, stating there was “absolutely no basis in reality” for claims of harassment.
Wilson reacted by countersuing the producers, alleging a pattern of intimidation and threats directed at her.
Lawyers representing the producers allege that in fact Wilson’s legal team are the ones who have engaged in threatening behaviour. They claim that Bryan Freedman, Wilson’s lawyer, sent an email threatening to “blow up” one or more of the plaintiffs in a public filing that included references to “sex trafficking”, remarking that such claims “can’t be good for the film”.
The producers have also filed statements alleging that Wilson threatened the film’s writer, Hannah Reilly. Notably, Reilly received the Rebel Wilson Theatremaker Scholarship which comes through the Australian Theatre for Young People. Her play served as the basis for The Deb.
The Guardian reported that Reilly allegedly refused to give Wilson writing credits for the film. Wilson then allegedly reacted by going to the Australian Writers’ Guild for arbitration and emailed Reilly’s agent: “Moving forward with an arbitration puts your client at significant financial risk and also destroys any remaining relationship or support that your client would receive from me and my associates in the industry.”
The Deb premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, but its future remains uncertain. A hearing involving Wilson and the producers is set for November 21.
Lead image: Getty Images
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