Rebel Wilson is clearing the air after social media posts about The Deb made headlines amid the ongoing legal fight surrounding the movie.
In response to video of The Deb actress Charlotte MacInnes singing at Cannes on Friday from the yacht owned by the film’s financier Len Blavatnik, The Deb’s Instagram account posted stories with captions critical of MacInnes. Wilson is said to be in control of the account for the movie that does not have a release plan in light of the project’s legal battle.
“Charlotte MacInnes in a culturally inappropriate Indian outfit on Len Blavatnik’s luxury yacht in Cannes — ironically singing a song from a movie that will never get released because of her lies and support for the people blocking the film’s release,” read one caption. A follow-up post included the message, “So glad you got your record deal Charlotte at the expense of the 300 people who worked on The Deb and really wanna see it released.”
In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter to address the posts, Wilson’s team noted that she remains focused on bringing the movie to audiences: “The entire Deb crew is looking forward for the film to finally be shown to the world. Rebel is so proud of this film and in awe of all of the hard work everyone involved put into the creation of her directorial debut.”
Last summer, Wilson posted a video to Instagram accusing producers Amanda Ghost, Gregory Cameron and Vince Holden of embezzlement and sexual harassment. She also accused them of preventing the film from premiering at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
The producers then sued Wilson for defamation and claimed that she was attempting to land a writing credit on the film, which led Wilson to countersue months later. THR reported in November that Wilson had lost a bid to dismiss the defamation lawsuit against her. In response to Wilson’s claims, MacInnes has denied accusations that Ghost abused her.
The Deb is a musical film centering on a high school outcast played by Natalie Abbott, who teams up with her cousin (MacInnes), as the pair aim to shake up the upcoming debutante ball. Marking her feature directorial debut, Wilson helmed the movie from Hannah Reilly’s screenplay, adapting the stage show that debuted in Sydney in 2022.
