Rebel Wilson's co-producers awarded ten dollars in damages

The three co-producers of The Deb sued Rebel Wilson over social media posts they said had destroyed their film. On Friday the New South Wales Supreme Court awarded them ten dollars. Justice Elisabeth Peden otherwise dismissed their summons — and awarded Wilson $359,000 plus interest on the counterclaim she brought against them.

The producers — Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden — traced the film's fate to posts Wilson made in July 2024, in which she claimed they had tried to block the film's release, embezzled money and behaved inappropriately towards its star. They argued the posts caused their company financial and reputational damage in an attempt to devalue the film so Wilson could purchase it from them. Wilson denied the allegations and countersued, claiming their involvement in the production was marked by illicit, egregious behaviours including theft, bullying and sexual misconduct.

The Deb, a musical comedy and Wilson's debut as a director — she also co-produced and starred — was made for A$22 million and took $335,000 at the local box office. It has been the subject of multiple legal battles in Australia and the United States. Earlier this year a federal court cleared Wilson of defaming the film's star, Charlotte MacInnes, finding that none of four posts implying MacInnes was a liar and a sellout who walked back a sexual harassment complaint were defamatory. MacInnes denied making or retracting any complaint, saying she had not been uncomfortable when she and Ghost shared a bath in swimwear after Ghost suffered a medical episode in September 2023.

Friday's decision was brief; a written judgment is to follow.

The court valued the producers' reputational harm at ten dollars. Wilson's counterclaim award exceeds the film's entire local box office.