Australian actress Rebel Wilson was cleared of defamation in a Sydney court yesterday following a legal dispute with co-star Charlotte MacInnes, the lead actress in Wilson’s directorial debut, *The Deb*. The Federal Court of Australia ruled that Wilson’s social media posts about MacInnes did not amount to defamation, a decision MacInnes’s legal team intends to appeal.

The case stemmed from an incident in September 2023, when MacInnes and one of the film’s producers went swimming at Bondi Beach and later bathed together. Wilson subsequently posted on Instagram that MacInnes had initially expressed discomfort about the incident but later altered her account. MacInnes claimed that four posts Wilson published between September 2024 and July 2025 were defamatory or violated her confidence.

Presiding Judge Elizabeth Raper found that the posts did not cause serious reputational damage to MacInnes. In her written judgment, the judge stated she did not consider the content to be inherently serious or defamatory. She further noted the absence of evidence demonstrating the posts had a negative impact on MacInnes’s reputation.

Following the verdict, Wilson expressed gratitude on Instagram to her supporters and expressed relief that the legal matter had concluded. “I’m grateful this chapter has reached its conclusion and I’m looking forward to getting back to what I love most, my family and my work,” she wrote. She also thanked the judge and the Australian legal system, stating her respect for the process.

Wilson, known for her roles in *Bridesmaids* and the *Pitch Perfect* franchise, has been involved previously in defamation litigation. In 2017, she successfully sued a global magazine publisher after an Australian court found that false claims accusing her of being a serial liar had harmed her career.

The upcoming appeal by MacInnes’s legal team suggests the dispute may continue, pending further legal proceedings.