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Rebel Wilson SUED for defamation after accusing The Deb producers of blocking her directorial debut from film festival - as 'bully' star is accused of repeating false sexual harassment claim in explosive suit
Rebel Wilson is being sued for defamation after accusing the producers of her new film The Deb of blocking the movie from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
This week Wilson, 44, alleged in an Instagram video her movie was set to premiere on the closing night of the 2024 TIFF, but claimed producers Amanda Ghost and Gregor Cameron and executive producer Vince Holden are trying to prevent the comedy's debut at the prestigious event.
She also accused the producers of 'bad behavior' on set, embezzling funds from the film and branding them 'vile and disgusting'. In turn the producers of Wilson's film have claimed the allegations are 'false'.
Now, Ghost, Cameron and Holden have launched a lawsuit against the actress, accusing her of 'bullying', vindictive behavior, 'shirking her responsibilities' as a director by disappearing from set for extended periods and repeating a fictitious claim Ghost had sexually harassed a lead actor in the film.
The trio are represented by Johnny Depp's former attorney Camille Vasquez and seeking more than $35,000 in damages.
Rebel took to Instagram on Friday to lambast the suit - sharing a snap from filming and writing: 'It’s not defamation if it’s the TRUTH (those ‘producers’ who I mentioned in my last post have just filed a defamation suit against me...
Rebel Wilson is being sued for defamation after accusing the producers of her new film The Deb of blocking the movie from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September (pictured July 2)
This week Wilson, 44, alleged in an Instagram video her movie was set to premiere on the closing night of the 2024 TIFF, but claimed producers Amanda Ghost and Gregor Cameron and executive producer Vince Holden are trying to prevent the comedy's debut
'Let our cool movie play at Toronto and stop messing about with a rubbish defamation suit against me!'
The complaint for defamation obtained by DailyMail.com reads: '[Wilson] has a history of fabricating false and malicious lies to hide her own lack of professionalism and advance her own self-interest.
'This lawsuit is about holding Rebel accountable for her attempts to bully Plaintiffs into conceding to her unreasonable demands by spreading vicious lies without regard for the irreparable damage her reckless words would cause on the hard-earned personal and professional reputations of Plaintiffs.'
'For years, Rebel has played the affable funny girl on the big screen and, off screen, portrayed herself as a champion of other female artists and whistleblower against abusive conduct within the film industry.
'This public persona, however, is a farce. Rebel is a bully who will disregard the interests of others to promote her own.'
Another shock claim levied by the producers is that Wilson hired a young writer - Hannah Reilly - to develop a screenplay for The Deb - before attempting to steal credit for herself.
The suit reads: 'She granted a young artist a scholarship to develop a screenplay for “The Deb” (the “Film”), and then tried to claim writing credit for herself.
'And, when Rebel did not get her way in business negotiations with the Plaintiffs concerning “The Deb” (including the writing credit), Rebel tried to intimidate Plaintiffs into giving her what she wanted by leveraging her persona and platform, with many millions of followers, to spread malicious lies about the Plaintiffs.'
The plaintiffs allege they 'took a chance on Rebel' who is a 'novice' to directing and producing but claim 'she flatly refused to collaborate with Plaintiffs' and exhibited 'reckless conduct.'
Now, Ghost, Cameron and Holden have launched a lawsuit against the actress, accusing her of 'bullying', vindictive behavior, 'shirking her responsibilities as a director and repeating a fictitious claim Ghost had sexually harassed a lead actor in the film
Rebel in a scene from the musical comedy which was filmed in NSW and Sydney last year
The complaint says: '[Wilson] absconded from the Film for months at a time, behaved unprofessionally with employees of the Film, and repeatedly made unauthorized and improper disclosures about the Film.
'But, because Rebel shirked her professional obligations to the Plaintiffs, the Film, and everyone dedicated to its success, she started flailing and inventing problems to obfuscate her own failures.'
The lawsuit claims the dispute between Wilson and the producers erupted when Wilson 'sought to seize writing credit for the Film from Reilly, a young, upcoming writer and Rebel’s own scholarship recipient, notwithstanding a binding decision from the Australian Writer’s Guild that such credit belongs to Reilly.'
Reilly was awarded full credit by the Australian Writers Guild on the The Deb following an appeal, the suit says. Wilson was granted an 'additional writing by credit' on the script, which she was allegedly left dissatisfied with.
'Rebel also fought for credit with the writers of the music for the Film, and demanded that Plaintiffs provide her a record label with an external music group (a demand which was well outside of Plaintiffs’ power to provide).
'Rebel’s goal in these several disputes was to get credit for work she did not do, and to overshadow young, upcoming artists who truly deserved the credit.'
A demand letter sent by Wilson to the producers in June and obtained by Variety sees the actress claim she was forced to sign over rights under 'duress' by the producers, who she says 'resorted to physical intimidation and threats of sabotage throughout production.'
The producers have denied in their defamation suit.
The suit further alleges that when Wilson 'did not get her way in these disputes' she 'revived a fictitious story about Ms. Ghost sexually harassing a lead actor in “The Deb” that has absolutely no basis in reality, as the actor that is the subject of this defamatory tale has repeatedly confirmed.
Another shock claim levied by the producers is that Wilson hired a young writer to develop a screenplay for The Deb - before attempting to steal credit for herself
The film will also feature actress Natalie Abbott from the ABC series Aftertaste, as well as newcomer Charlotte McInnes. Pictured: The cast perform a musical number
'In addition, Rebel claimed, without any basis, that Ms. Ghost and Mr. Cameron were embezzling from the Film’s budget. These statements are false, and Rebel knew they were false at the time she made.'
The plaintiffs claim Wilson knew the actress at issue had 'repeatedly and unequivocally denied any form of wrongful conduct by Plaintiffs, but Rebel doubled down on her false story to promote her own selfish interests in her disputes with Plaintiffs, without regard for the Plaintiffs or the young, upcoming lead actress who she dragged into the center of her malicious scheme.'
They state $22million had been invested in The Deb by the summer of 2024 and it was selected to premiere at the closing of the Toronto International Film Festival.
The suit reads: 'but Plaintiffs had to consider carefully whether to proceed with marketing the Film while it was embroiled in numerous credit and licensing disputes instigated by Rebel.'
The suit states the producers 'continuously attempted' to resolve their issues with Wilson but claim she 'attempted to force the issue and bully them into capitulating to her other unreasonable demands by leveraging her popularity on social media to spread these malicious and baseless lies about Plaintiffs to her 11 million Instagram followers.
'This was a vindictive attempt to destroy Plaintiffs’ reputations with what she knew were demonstrably false statements.'
The producers claims Wilson's alleged conduct has caused 'severe financial, professional, and reputational harm' to them and jeopardized the success of the film.
'Additionally, taken with her prior spurious allegations against Ms. Ghost, Rebel's recent statement also carries the unmistakable defamatory implication that Ms. Ghost committed sexual harassment against the lead actress of the Film, and that Ms. Ghost has a “history of doing this kind of thing.”
The producers said Wilson 'has run this playbook one time too many' and had 'jeopardized the success of the film, as Rebel’s statements carry the clear and unmistakable defamatory meaning: that [the producers] criminally embezzled funds from the film.'
'Each and every one of these insinuations is patently false and easily disproven, for instance, by the examination of the Film’s financial records and the sworn testimony of the Film’s female lead.'
The suit concluded: 'Rebel must be held accountable for her outrageous conduct.'
DailyMail.com has contacted Wilson's representatives for comment.
Wilson had claimed in her video: 'You know sometimes you try so hard in life and you don't know what to do, well that is the situation. You might have noticed I did a post a week ago about the first film that I directed, that I am so proud of, The Deb.
'It is a little Australian musical which is awesome. It got selected for closing night of the Toronto Film Festival which is the best platform to be a first time female director, it's huge.
'To have the joy of the movie being selected is one thing but to have the business partners turn around and say the movie can't premiere is beyond devastating. Why are they saying this? Why are they stopping it?'
Wilson then claimed: 'This dates back to October last year where I discovered bad behaviour by these business partners. They are producers of the film, their names are Amanda Ghost and Gregor Cameron and executive producer Vince Holden.'
'I reported their bad behaviour when I found out.'
Wilson claimed since reporting the problems, she has been met with 'absolute viciousness and bad behaviour.'
She said she managed to finish the film but alleged the producers have told her she can't release it.
'This is work of hundreds of people and this behaviour is absolutely vile and disgusting,' Wilson continued.
'I will speak the truth and warn people about people in the industry that are not behaving ethically. That is my dilemma if that movie doesn't play at Toronto, it's because of these absolute f**kwits.'
'RW's allegations are false, defamatory, and disappointing,' a spokesperson for the producers told Deadline.
'Her self-promotional claims are clearly intended to cause reputational harm to the individuals who have supported her directorial debut film The Deb — a joyous movie that we're very proud of and are looking forward to sharing with audiences.
'For her to promote a false narrative to advance her own agenda undermines the film and all the people who worked on this project.'
The Deb, which stars Wilson and comedian Shane Jacobson, centres on a country school girl getting ready for her debutante ball.
The film will also feature actress Natalie Abbott from the ABC series Aftertaste, as well as newcomer Charlotte McInnes.
Locations include country towns such as Carcoar, Blayney, and Orange, as well as Sydney.
Last October, Rebel revealed that she turned down major offers in the States, so she could make her directorial debut Down Under.
'If I was directing a movie it was only going to be in Australia because that's authentic to me,' Rebel told The Daily Telegraph at the time.
'I didn't want to do the studio ones I was offered in America because I didn't feel like I had that heart connection,' she explained.