Wilson Defamation Case Dismissed; Costs Awarded; Appeal Planned

The Federal Court of Australia, led by Justice Elizabeth Raper, dismissed Charlotte MacInnes’s defamation claim against Rebel Wilson and ordered MacInnes to pay Wilson’s legal costs, finding that Wilson’s Instagram posts did not cause serious harm to MacInnes’s reputation. The court also found that Wilson’s statements were substantially true for the meaning that MacInnes claimed was defamatory. MacInnes intends to appeal, seeking a new trial or a different judge and challenging the ruling on costs, while arguing the court erred in assessing the posts’ meanings. Wilson was described by some witnesses as difficult during the proceedings, yet she achieved a clear win. The dispute centered on allegations related to The Deb, the film’s production context, and an incident at Bondi Beach involving producer Amanda Ghost, including earlier Bath-sharing claims. Coverage across outlets highlighted the decision and the ongoing tensions with The Deb’s producers.