Rebel Wilson's PR Team Called Her 'Nuts' Over Alleged Smear Campaign, Court Hears
Actor Rebel Wilson was labelled "fucking nuts" by a crisis public relations team she allegedly hired to create malicious websites attacking co-producer Amanda Ghost, according to explosive testimony heard in federal court this week. The Pitch Perfect star has consistently denied any involvement in ordering The Agency Group to publish the sites, which are central to a defamation lawsuit brought by fellow actor Charlotte MacInnes.
Defamation Lawsuit and Allegations
Wilson is being sued by MacInnes, the lead actor in Wilson's directorial debut The Deb, over social media posts that claimed the young performer made a sexual harassment complaint against co-producer Amanda Ghost. MacInnes vehemently denies ever making such a complaint to Wilson and asserts she has suffered significant harm from suggestions she withdrew the alleged comments in exchange for professional benefits.
"This is a malignant allegation against my client that she sold the allegation of sexual harassment in exchange for her own professional and commercial benefit," MacInnes's barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC told the court. The legal battle has revealed a complex web of accusations involving smear websites, crisis management, and interpersonal conflicts on the film set.
PR Firm's Involvement and Court Testimony
According to evidence presented by former The Agency Group employee Katie Case, Wilson became a client of the crisis management team in July 2024, months after MacInnes allegedly made the complaint. Texts between agency staff referred to Wilson as "fucking nuts," the federal court was told on Tuesday.
Case testified that her boss Melissa Nathan instructed her in August that Wilson wanted one of "those sites" created, with Nathan specifying it should be "really really harsh ... making her a madam basically lol." Case replied, "Oh my god lol ok this one will be fun," understanding she was drafting copy for a takedown website to be used as a litigation tool.
The ex-PR employee was provided a fully drafted Word document for the website content, which she edited and supplemented with colleague suggestions. While metadata later revealed the document was created under the name of Wilson's company, Case accepted anyone could have written or edited it before it reached her. She emphasized she had never met or spoken directly to Wilson.
Legal Arguments and Film Background
Wilson's barrister Dauid Sibtain SC argued on Monday that the websites are "a distraction" from the core issue of whether MacInnes actually made a complaint to Wilson. The Deb, a musical comedy set in rural New South Wales that Wilson directed, co-produced, and acted in, remained unreleased for two years due to legal disputes before its Australian release in April.
Further testimony came from theatrical producer Carmen Pavlovic, a friend of Amanda Ghost, who described how Ghost had a medical episode at Bondi beach in September 2023 and was assisted by MacInnes. Pavlovic recounted that Ghost became angry and upset with MacInnes after Wilson claimed the young actor had complained about feeling uncomfortable, with producers suggesting MacInnes might be "troublemaking."
Pavlovic encouraged proper processes to ensure MacInnes felt heard, warning "things could blow up if they weren't properly clarified." Ghost's husband and co-producer Gregor Cameron is set to testify, with both producers embroiled in a separate lawsuit against Wilson in the NSW Supreme Court. The defamation trial continues as more details emerge about the allegations and counter-allegations surrounding the film's production.
