Rebel Wilson Beats Defamation Suit, Charlotte MacInnes Ordered to Pay Costs

Q: Can an actor claim their reputation was destroyed if their career booms after being targeted online?

Not easily. An actor can say they were defamed, but if their career surges afterward, that is powerful evidence against a claim that their reputation was “destroyed.” That was central to the Rebel Wilson case. Justice Elizabeth Raper found Charlotte MacInnes had not shown the posts caused, or were likely to cause, “serious harm” to her reputation, which is now a required threshold under Australia’s defamation law. Wilson’s side pointed to MacInnes’ later success, including a record deal and stage work, as evidence that her professional standing had not been seriously damaged. A booming career does not automatically defeat a defamation claim. Courts look at more than income or bookings: the gravity of the allegation, how widely it spread, who saw it, the credibility of the publisher, and whether the person suffered reputational damage in particular circles. An actor could still argue the posts caused humiliation, anxiety, or harmed relationships in the industry even if work continued. But claiming total reputational ruin becomes much harder when the public record shows the opposite. Modern Australian law no longer assumes damage; plaintiffs need concrete proof of serious reputational harm or a real likelihood of it. If the evidence shows new contracts, higher visibility and continued industry support, a court may find the statements were offensive or distressing without accepting that they destroyed the person’s reputation.

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 22

Justice Elizabeth Raper on Wednesday dismissed Charlotte MacInnes's defamation suit against Rebel Wilson, ruling the actress's Instagram posts were not defamatory and ordering MacInnes to pay Wilson's legal costs.
The case targeted 2024 and 2025 posts in which Wilson said MacInnes had retracted a sexual-harassment complaint against producer Amanda Ghost to advance her career; MacInnes denied that claim.
Raper also found MacInnes failed to prove the posts caused, or were likely to cause, serious harm to her reputation — a key hurdle in the Sydney case.
The dispute grew out of a September 2023 Bondi Beach incident involving Ghost and MacInnes, with Wilson telling the court MacInnes later described the episode as "bizarre" rather than personally uncomfortable.
Wilson said after the ruling that the process had tested her but reinforced her resolve to stand up for what she believes is right, calling the judgment the end of the chapter.