Actor Rebel Wilson has rejected an 'absolutely outrageous' accusation that she deliberately disposed of her phone to avoid handing over key communications in a defamation case brought by Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actor of Wilson's directorial debut, The Deb.
MacInnes alleges Wilson defamed her in social media posts that suggested she is a liar who retracted a sexual harassment complaint to further her career. Wilson claims MacInnes confided that she felt uncomfortable after the film's co-producer Amanda Ghost asked her to shower together in September 2023. 'I was pretty shocked by it,' Wilson told the federal court on Wednesday.
During cross-examination, MacInnes's lawyer Sue Chrysanthou SC asked Wilson, 'Are you sure your phone was stolen and you didn't just dump it in a park?' Wilson's lawyer objected but not before his client answered. Wilson said her phone was stolen in London and some text chains were not backed up, making retrieval impossible.
The court also heard about a text exchange in May 2023 where Wilson scolded MacInnes for not following up on a theatre invitation. Wilson rejected suggestions that her text was 'utterly inappropriate' or bullying. Later, Wilson described the alleged sexual harassment incident as an 'absolute nightmare situation' and said MacInnes later 'flip-flopped' on her complaint.
Chrysanthou accused Wilson of raising the complaint to gain leverage in a dispute with the co-producer, which Wilson denied. The trial continues, with Wilson expected to face questions about a cyber-attack claim MacInnes made in her sworn statement.
