Rebel Wilson gives evidence in high-profile defamation case against star of directorial debut

Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has entered a courthouse ahead of giving evidence in her high-profile defamation battle against the star of her directorial debut. The Pitch Perfect star is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the Australian lead actor of musical comedy The Deb. MacInnes claims Wilson defamed her in four social media posts that claimed she made a sexual harassment complaint and then retracted it to further her career. Wilson entered the federal court on Tuesday morning before taking the witness stand to fight her co-star’s defamation claims. Her wife, Ramona Agruma-Wilson, may no longer be required to attend court to give evidence after Wilson’s legal team made an application for her testimony to be read in her absence. Dauid Sibtain SC noted she was in the late stages of a high-risk pregnancy, raising the issue of the stress of cross-examination. The defamation dispute was sparked when MacInnes assisted The Deb’s co-producer Amanda Ghost after she suffered a medical episode at Bondi beach in September 2023. Amanda Ghost arrives at the federal court in Sydney on Tuesday morning. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP She helped the producer back to an apartment they were sharing with others and ended up innocently sharing a bath in their swimwear in a bid to warm up, MacInnes said. Hints about what Wilson might say in her evidence can be found in sworn statements by MacInnes that have been tendered to the court and contain parts of the older actor’s own affidavit. …