Rebel Wilson refutes phone dump ahead of ‘The Deb’ trial, calls harassment complaint a 'nightmare situation'

Rebel Wilson faced a second day of intense questioning, as the Pitch Perfect actress defends her reputation during a defamation trial in Sydney, Australia.

Wilson is being taken to court by Charlotte MacInnes, the primary actress in her directorial debut The Deb, over claims that Wilson fabricated a sexual misconduct complaint by the young performer.

Wilson maintains that MacInnes confided in her about discomfort after sharing a bath with The Deb producer Amanda Ghost amid preparations for the film's production.

MacInnes and Ghost acknowledge bathing together but insist they were wearing swimwear, explaining that it occurred after Ghost experienced a medical event on Bondi Beach.

MacInnes refutes telling Wilson that the incident caused her discomfort. Wilson contends that the actress altered her account after receiving career advances from Ghost, which MacInnes also refutes.

In her second day of testimony on Wednesday, Wilson described the scenario as a “nightmarish situation” to have “a key financial producer sharing a bath and shower with a young actress.”

Sue Chrysanthou, the barrister representing MacInnes, argued: “Isn’t it a nightmare of your making through repeated lies?”

Wilson replied: “There’s no advantage for me to fabricate a harassment claim involving two very crucial individuals.”

This follows Wilson's statement to the court on Tuesday: “In a movie that's all about empowerment and fun, having a harassment claim from the lead actress against a producer was the last thing I needed.”

Wilson was questioned regarding messages exchanged with Ghost shortly after the bathing incident. The Bridesmaids actress noted that MacInnes described it as an “odd situation,” not that she was uncomfortable personally. Wilson told the court she assumed MacInnes had retracted her complaint but remained uneasy about the incident.

During today's session, Chrysanthou accused Wilson of discarding her phone, which contained relevant WhatsApp messages. 

Wilson’s legal team has previously stated the phone was stolen in London in July 2025, providing a police report to back up the claim.

The Deb conflict is unfolding across Los Angeles and Australia, overshadowing the heartwarming movie about country kids attending a debutante ball. The film was released in Australia earlier this month, though it has yet to secure a US distributor.

The case proceedings are ongoing. Justice Elizabeth Raper is presiding over the trial.