Overview
- The case, which began Monday in the Federal Court before Justice Elizabeth Raper, is set for about nine days with MacInnes seeking aggravated damages and an order stopping any repeat of the claims.
- At issue is a September 5, 2023 bath after a Bondi swim that MacInnes and producer Amanda Ghost say was a medical response in swimsuits, while Wilson says MacInnes told her the next day the situation made her uncomfortable.
- Wilson’s 2024–2025 Instagram posts to more than 11 million followers asserted MacInnes later changed her story after career opportunities, with Wilson pleading truth and her team arguing MacInnes suffered no real reputational harm.
- On Tuesday the court heard texts from a US PR firm about building harsh anonymous websites targeting Ghost, with one message saying “Rebel wants one of those sites,” and metadata showing a draft created under Wilson’s company name, which Wilson denies.
- The dispute has spawned related suits in Australia and the US and delayed The Deb’s release, and the livestreamed hearing could shape careers and the film’s distribution as both Wilson and MacInnes prepare to give evidence.