Why did Rebel Wilson say she “had a duty” to speak out amid her "Deb" co-star’s lawsuit?

Actress Rebel Wilson has finally broken her silence over the defamation lawsuit against her.

Australian actress Rebel Wilson has finally spoken up about the alleged se*ual harassment of her lead actress in the upcoming movie, The Deb. According to Rebel, who was the director of the film, leading actress Charlotte MacInnes was se*ually harassed by the movie’s producer, Amanda Ghost.

On her recent appearance on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, she stated,

“I felt that in my position as director I had to report that, and the moment I did, it started all the retaliation against me."

She recalled one of the instances the actress shared with her.

Charlotte told her, "last night, Amanda came to me and asked me to have a bath and shower with her and it made me feel really uncomfortable.”

Rebel Wilson reiterated, "One-hundred percent she told me that. She came to me and made what I inferred as a se*ual harassment complaint, and I had a duty to then act on it."

However, later Charlotte allegedly changed her statement and in a press statement said that she "never complained to Ms Wilson or anyone else that Ms Ghost made me feel uncomfortable or caused me any trauma whatsoever”.

Wilson has been in a legal battle with The Deb producers, Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden since July 2024. Ghost had apparently claimed that she had a medical reaction to cold water during production, because of which she approached MacInnes and an assistant to take her to her nearby home.

Aftermath of Rebel Wilson's case

When the Pitch Perfect actress followed up with her lead actress after the shower incident, she gave her a different statement, saying in a text that it was "all good."

Rebel Wilson recalled,

"How I would describe those texts, is I'm trying to maintain professional communication with Amanda Ghost — she's the producer, she's the access to the money for the film. This is weeks before we start shooting the movie, and I'm trying to keep a very professional communication, but at the same time I'm feeling very uneasy."

When 60 Minutes Australia's Tara Brown asked Rebel Wilson why she doesn't believe in this story, she boldly stated,

"I think, when it gets into the details in court, I don't think anyone in their right mind believes that a medical incident occurred and Amanda Ghost needed the body warmth of an actress to save her life. It's just not credible." Further adding, "[Charlotte] reported something to me, I acted on it, in my position as the director of the movie. I had an ethical, moral responsibility to do that,"

As for her lead actress, Charlotte MacInnes, Wilson expressed how there is a possibility she backed out of her statement to push her career,

"I do think it's undeniable. I believe her only work since filming The Deb was in a stage show that Amanda Ghost produced. [And] despite Oscar and Tony-nominated performers auditioning for the role, it gets given to an unknown Australian?" She further stated, "I think she's talented, which is why I cast her in the movie ... but I guess it's undeniable the benefits she has received since finishing the film."

Rebel Wilson also quite candidly spoke about the other weird occurrences on the set, blaming UK producers for creating a mess on set, with them stemming the drama. The actress, when called out for this behavior, started receiving backlash and was bullied.

"I was, kind of, the target of this incessant bullying and harassment because I'd spoken out about the behavior of these U.K. producers."

As for her own actions amidst the drama surrounding The Deb, she defended her behavior, saying,

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"No, I see that as, like, standing up for my movie and the hard work that everyone put into it for years. I think it's wild it's gotten to this point. I think it's a ridiculous waste of the Australian legal system."

The upcoming musical film, which will be released in Australia and New Zealand on January 15, 2026, is about a high school outcast who sets out to reinvent her image in her small town at the Debutante Ball, or “the Deb."

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