Rebel Wilson Opens Up About ‘The Deb’ Lawsuit, Labels It Her “Worst Nightmare”
Rebel Wilson has opened up about the legal drama surrounding her directorial debut, The Deb, calling the experience her “worst nightmare.” In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, Wilson described the situation as an attempt by others to “sling mud” at her reputation.
“It came out of left field, these issues, and yeah, it was horrible to deal with and I had to try to navigate it professionally,” Wilson said. The actress and director is currently facing two separate lawsuits — one from the film’s U.K. producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden, and another from actress Charlotte MacInnes. Wilson has responded with a countersuit.
Wilson alleged that during production in 2023, she and local producers were “locked in a room” and pressured to sign documents, which she claims included threats that the film would be canceled and crew members would lose work if they didn’t comply. “At the time, I said, ‘What is this? Is this like the KGB?’” she recalled.
The director also said she became a target of what she called “incessant bullying and harassment” after speaking out about the producers’ behavior. She accused them of embezzling nearly a million Australian dollars from the budget, claims the producers deny. Wilson also alleged that MacInnes was sexually harassed by Ghost, describing an incident during filming at Bondi Beach as “uncomfortable” for the actress.
“I felt, in my position as director, I had to report that, and the moment I did started all the retaliation against me,” Wilson said. MacInnes has disputed these claims and filed defamation proceedings in August of this year, arguing that Wilson damaged her reputation through social media posts.
Wilson pushed back against accusations that she helped spread malicious websites about the producers. “I have zero to do with that. The claims are absolutely untrue,” she said, adding that she did not direct followers to the sites or ensure Ghost’s associates saw them.
The 60 Minutes segment also highlighted Wilson’s concerns over attempts by the producers to block the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. She called these actions “out of spite … to bury it,” though the movie did eventually premiere at TIFF.
Wilson’s legal team has had a small win recently. On November 5, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Thomas Long approved a “letter of request” to the U.K., which will allow MacInnes to clarify her relationship with Ghost in a deposition scheduled for December 2025 or early 2026.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, The Deb is set to release in January 2026 in Australia and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Wilson has already returned to work on her next project, a musical comedy titled Girl Group, which will star Jennifer Coolidge, Nicole Scherzinger, and Wilson herself.
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