Rebel Wilson countersues producers over The Deb harassment claims and festival blockade

Rebel Wilson didn’t just step behind the camera for her directorial debut—she walked into a storm. The 44-year-old Australian actress, best known for The Deb’s chaotic rise and fall, now finds herself at the center of a legal firestorm that began with a whispered complaint and exploded into lawsuits, blocked premieres, and allegations of financial theft. In a raw, wide-ranging interview with 60 Minutes Australia, Wilson called the situation her "worst nightmare," a phrase that barely scratches the surface of what’s unfolded since production wrapped on her musical comedy in 2022.

The Complaint That Started It All

It started with Charlotte MacInnes, the 28-year-old Scottish actress playing the lead in The Deb. According to Wilson, MacInnes approached her privately during filming in Sydney, visibly shaken, and described repeated inappropriate behavior from three producers: Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden. Wilson, who had just transitioned from comedic actress to first-time director, says she felt an immediate duty to act. "I felt, in my position as director, I had to report that," she told 60 Minutes Australia. "The moment I did, started all the retaliation against me." The producers—linked through their London-based company behind The Meg franchise—denied the allegations. But Wilson insists the timing speaks volumes: within days of her internal report, communications dried up. Budget approvals stalled. Equipment orders vanished. And then, the real blow: the planned premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival was quietly pulled.

When Advocacy Becomes a Crime

Wilson didn’t stay silent. She took to social media. Not with accusations, she says, but with quiet appeals: "This film deserves to be seen. It’s a story about teenage girls finding their voice. Why won’t it play in Toronto?" The response was overwhelming. Fans, fellow filmmakers, and industry insiders rallied. Pressure mounted. And then—miraculously—the festival relented. The Deb screened at TIFF in September 2023.

But the victory came at a cost. Within weeks, Ghost, Cameron, Holden, and MacInnes filed two separate lawsuits: one for defamation, another for breach of contract. Wilson’s public advocacy, they claimed, damaged their reputations and undermined their business. She didn’t expect to be sued for speaking up.

The Countersuit: More Than Just Harassment

Wilson didn’t just defend herself—she struck back. Her countersuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in March 2024, alleges far more than misconduct. It claims Ghost, Cameron, and Holden diverted over $1.2 million in production funds from The Deb—money meant for crew wages, post-production, and marketing—into unrelated projects tied to The Meg sequels. "They weren’t just ignoring me," Wilson told 60 Minutes Australia. "They were stealing from this film to fund theirs." She also alleges that Ghost and Cameron, who are married and co-own a production entity in London, pressured MacInnes into retracting her complaint. Wilson says she was shown text messages where MacInnes appeared to downplay the incident—but she insists those messages were edited, taken out of context, and possibly coerced. "I was never told she was comfortable," Wilson said. "I was told she was scared. And I believed her."

The Players and Their Power

The legal battle pits two worlds against each other. On one side: Brownstone Productions, Wilson’s Los Angeles-based company, backed by indie funding and a grassroots fanbase. On the other: a network of UK-based producers with deep ties to Warner Bros., including credits on The Meg (2018) and its 2023 sequel, which grossed over $500 million globally. Their legal team includes top-tier entertainment litigators. Wilson’s is a smaller firm with limited resources.

The production company Goalpost Pictures Pty Ltd, based in Sydney, was the local partner on The Deb. They’ve stayed publicly neutral, but insiders say they’re caught in the middle—fearing liability if they take sides.

Why This Matters Beyond One Film

This isn’t just about one movie. It’s about what happens when a woman in power speaks up—and gets punished for it. Wilson’s case mirrors patterns seen in the #MeToo era: retaliation disguised as legal action, silence enforced through litigation, and victims being turned into defendants. "I didn’t want to be a whistleblower," Wilson said. "I just wanted to make a movie about girls who aren’t afraid to be loud." Experts say her situation is unusually public—and unusually risky. "Most female directors who report harassment get sidelined quietly," says Dr. Lena Ruiz, a film industry ethics professor at USC. "Rebel’s fame forced this into the open. That’s why the backlash is so aggressive. It’s a warning to others."

What’s Next?

The court date for the defamation case is set for November 2024. Discovery is ongoing. Wilson’s team has subpoenaed bank records from Ghost and Cameron’s London company. Meanwhile, The Deb is preparing for a limited theatrical release in Australia next spring, with streaming rights still up for grabs.

Wilson says she won’t back down. "If I let this go, I’m telling every young woman who dares to lead that she shouldn’t speak up. And I can’t live with that."