Popular actress wins court battle against young star over bizarre bathtub incident

Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has won a defamation lawsuit against young actress Charlotte MacInnes, who had accused Wilson of damaging her reputation on Instagram. MacInnes, the lead actress in Wilson's directorial debut "The Deb," claimed Wilson falsely accused her of withdrawing a sexual harassment complaint to advance her career.

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Charlotte says everything is fine. She just thought the 'situation was bizarre'.

The Federal Court in Sydney dismissed the lawsuit, with Justice Elizabeth Raper concluding that serious reputational harm was not proven and ordering MacInnes to cover the legal costs. The dispute centered on a bizarre incident where MacInnes and producer Amanda Ghost entered a bathtub together in swimsuits after Ghost experienced an allergic reaction to cold water. Both women maintained the event was not sexual in nature.

According to Wilson, MacInnes confided that the incident made her feel "uncomfortable," which Wilson interpreted as a harassment report and felt obligated to address. MacInnes, however, denied ever complaining during the trial, with her lawyers arguing Wilson fabricated the story as part of her own conflicts with producers. Confusion was further fueled by a message Wilson sent to Ghost stating, "Charlotte says everything is fine. She just thought the 'situation was bizarre'." Wilson later publicly accused MacInnes of changing her story in exchange for business opportunities, forming the basis of her lawsuit.

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serious doubts about the truthfulness of the testimony

Justice Raper expressed "serious doubts about the truthfulness of the testimony" from all key figures involved, Wilson, MacInnes, and Ghost. Despite this, she ruled in favor of Wilson, finding her actions consistent with having received a complaint. The court determined that MacInnes had indeed altered her account of feeling uncomfortable. However, the judge concluded that Wilson's public disclosure of this fact did not constitute defamation, and MacInnes failed to prove significant reputational damage, a key element for a successful defamation claim. This lawsuit is part of a larger legal battle surrounding the production of "The Deb."

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The evidence confirms that Ms. Wilson acted in a manner consistent with receiving a complaint.