Rebel Wilson has responded to defamation claims from the producers of the musical film “The Deb” with a countersuit in California state court, alleging that the producers engaged in “a troubling pattern of egregious and illicit behaviors, including theft, bullying and sexual misconduct” while involved with the film.
Wilson — who wrote, directed and starred in “The Deb” — said producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden “operated under the delusion that they could act at the expense of others with complete impunity.” When Wilson reported their actions, the trio employed what Wilson called the “Amanda Ghost strategy” of intimidating and bullying Wilson in an attempt to silence her, according to the cross-complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Oct. 1.
That strategy involves a “relentless cycle of manipulation and coercion,” which Wilson said she’s endured since October 2023.
“While many of Ghost’s past victims — which include countless individuals — have fallen prey to her ruthless tactics that have derailed countless lives and careers, Wilson stands resolute,” the filing states. “She is determined to fight not only for herself but also for ‘The Deb’ and for all those who have silently suffered from Ghost’s reprehensible actions over the years.”
Ghost, Cameron and Holden filed suit against Wilson in July, claiming that the “Pitch Perfect” star made up and then doubled down on fictitious tales about them. Specifically, the suit pointed to a video Wilson uploaded to her Instagram account in which she accused Ghost of engaging in inappropriate behavior and accused both Ghost and Cameron of embezzling funds and working to ensure “The Deb” would be buried and wouldn’t premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.
The producers said those accusations lacked evidence and destroyed their reputations and careers.
Ghost, Cameron and Holden said they were brought on to co-produce “The Deb” in early 2023. According to them, the film was based on a script written by an up-and-coming writer, Hannah Reilly, adapted from a stage play of the same name that Reilly co-authored with Megan Washington, who also co-wrote songs for the film.
Reilly was given a scholarship awarded by Wilson, and as part of the scholarship, Reilly developed the script for “The Deb,” they said. But Wilson began contesting Reilly’s writing credit last October, and that’s when the dispute among the plaintiffs and Wilson “came to a head,” they claimed.
In March, the Australian Writers’ Guild determined Reilly should be given the credit for writing the screenplay, while Wilson would be credited with additional writing, the producers said. Wilson also allegedly demanded that the plaintiffs get her a record label with a music group, which was a request that fell outside the scope of the plaintiffs’ power, according to the complaint.
When Wilson didn’t get her way with her demands, she revived a false story about Ghost engaging in improper conduct with the lead in “The Deb” with no basis, the producer said.
Wilson painted a different picture in her cross-complaint, claiming that Ghost has an “extensive history of seedy practices and unethical behavior, both in business and her personal life.” That alleged history of misconduct followed her to the set of “The Deb,” and was “bolstered” by her husband, Cameron, as well as by Holden, who followed her lead, according to the filing.
Ghost and her co-producers convinced Wilson to work with them on “The Deb” via a series of promises, including that she would get a shared writing credit and record label deal, Wilson said.
But after they came aboard the project, Ghost, Cameron and Holden worked to undermine the project every step of the way, Wilson said. After Wilson reported misconduct to the project’s executive producer, Danny Cohen, they retaliated against her by bullying and harassing her, coercing her signature on numerous agreements under duress and intentionally making the completion of the film — and its sale — difficult, per the filing.
Among other things, Wilson said she reported to Cohen that Ghost sexually harassed the lead actress of the film, Charlotte MacInnes. She also reported that Ghost, Cameron and Holden had embezzled AU$ 900,000 from the film’s budget, she said.
“Soon after she reported the misconduct, Holden and Ghost held a ‘mandatory’ Zoom where they verbally abused Wilson and threatened to take Wilson’s stage rights in the project as punishment for unveiling the truth,” the cross-complaint states. “They further threatened to halt the film’s production, even demanding Wilson halt work despite being at a critical juncture for the film.”
Wilson said Cameron later “unlawfully imprisoned” her and two local Australian producers by confining them in a small room and refusing to let them leave. During that encounter, he allegedly “unleashed a barrage of verbal assaults and intimidation tactics,” and repeatedly threatened to terminate the project and immediately fire 300 cast and crew members, Wilson said. Later, the film garnered interest from several festivals, but Ghost, Cameron and Holden threatened to block “The Deb” from appearing or to shelve it altogether, Wilson said.
She added that her friends have also been targeted with intimidation and threatened that if they testify on her behalf, they’ll be sued.
“The relentless bullying and harassment of Wilson (and those close to her) has persisted abated to this day,” the filing states. “Having endured such mistreatment, Wilson is determined to hold cross-defendants accountable and seek justice for their lies, manipulation, bullying, misconduct and flagrant theft.”
Wilson is alleging breach of contract, false imprisonment, intentional misrepresentation, fraudulent inducement and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other claims. Her cross-complaint also lists Cohen and the producers’ production companies as cross-defendants.
MacInnes said in a statement provided to Law360 on Friday that there “is no truth to the allegations made involving me.”
“I made a statement to the film team when this was first said in September 2023 and am saying this now to draw a line under it,” she said. “Making false accusations undermines real victims, and I won’t be the subject of a fabricated narrative.”
Counsel for the parties didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment late Friday.
Wilson is represented by Bryan J. Freedman and Jacob T. Bolan of Liner Freedman Taitelman + Cooley LLP.
The producers are represented by Camille M. Vasquez and Honieh Udenka of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP.
The case is Amanda Ghost et al. v. Rebel Wilson, case number 24STCV17314, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.
–Additional reporting by Gina Kim. Editing by Kelly Duncan.
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