Rebel Wilson has faced a significant legal setback in her ongoing, high-profile lawsuit against the producers of her film The Deb. A Los Angeles judge has removed substantial portions of her complaint, dismissing several core claims.
Judge Dismisses "Irrelevant" Historical Allegations
According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Judge Thomas Long this week struck several pages from Wilson's legal filing. These pages had accused producer Amanda Ghost of a long history of "seedy practices and unethical behaviour." The judge ruled that many of the actress's claims were not pertinent to the current case.
Among the allegations deemed irrelevant was Wilson's claim that Ghost had stolen "partial ownership" of the James Blunt song You're Beautiful. Judge Long stated, "That’s not the kind of stuff I would be letting in at trial. We do not have time to say, 'Let’s go back to the beginning of time, when this person first started their career.'" He further characterised some allegations as "debris that just obscures the real issues in the case."
Core Legal Claims Thrown Out
The ruling represents a major blow to Wilson's case. The Australian actress had originally filed her lawsuit in response to a defamation case brought against her by the producers—Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden. In her cross-complaint, Wilson had doubled down on accusations of a "troubling pattern of illicit, egregious behaviours, including theft, bullying and sexual misconduct."
However, Judge Long dismissed six of Wilson's specific claims after finding insufficient detail. These dismissed claims include:
- Fraud
- Breach of fiduciary duty
- Historical misconduct allegations
- Breach of contract
The judge concluded that Wilson failed to provide adequate details about "how, when, where, and by what means" certain promises from Ghost were made. These alleged promises, which were central to some claims, included a shared writing credit, a record deal with Warner, and ownership rights to the film's soundtrack.
Wilson's legal team requested a chance to amend the complaint, but the judge noted they failed to explain what the proposed amendments would be.
Ongoing Legal Stoush and Wider Context
This is not the first setback for Wilson in this complex, multi-jurisdictional legal fight. Last month, the NSW Supreme Court in Australia blocked part of her US lawsuit against the companies headed by her co-producers, citing a risk of "conflicting findings or inconsistent judgments." The blocked claims included allegations that Cameron and Holden embezzled $900,000 from the film's budget and that Wilson signed contracts under duress.
Despite the dismissals, some claims proceed. Amanda Ghost, along with the other producers, still faces a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress. The producers also moved to strike other allegations, including details of Ghost's "highly inappropriate relationship" with the film's lead actor, Charlotte MacInnes, and Cameron's alleged "propensity for physical intimidation and coercive tactics." The court agreed to remove these.
The legal battles erupted after filming wrapped in 2023. In a separate case, lead actor MacInnes is suing Wilson in the Federal Court over social media posts in which Wilson claimed MacInnes had revealed being subjected to sexual harassment. MacInnes denies any misconduct occurred.
Amid the turmoil, The Deb is reportedly scheduled for a wide theatrical release in Australia and New Zealand this January, with Rialto having acquired distribution rights.
