Australian actor and filmmaker Rebel Wilson appeared in a Sydney court on Monday as producers of her directorial debut, The Deb, pursued allegations that she interfered with the film’s release.
AI Film Production Limited is suing Wilson in the New South Wales Supreme Court, claiming that she undermined distribution efforts and delayed the release of the 2024 musical comedy, causing financial and reputational losses to the UK-based production company.
The film was initially held back amid a dispute between Wilson and co-producers Amanda Ghost, Greg Cameron and Vince Holden. It was eventually released in April 2026.
At the centre of the case are social media posts Wilson made during the dispute. The producers allege that she made damaging claims about them, including allegations concerning misconduct, financial wrongdoing and attempts to prevent the movie from being released.
AI Film also claims Wilson and her company, Camp Sugar Productions, breached contracts and consumer laws through the statements. The company is seeking unspecified damages, an apology and corrective advertising.
The producers further allege that Wilson interfered with negotiations involving potential distributors and threatened legal action that could have prevented the film from being shown in Australia.
Wilson and Camp Sugar have rejected the allegations and filed a cross-claim against the producers. In their case, they accuse Ghost, Cameron and Holden of misconduct, including alleged theft, bullying and sexual misconduct.
Wilson has also alleged that Ghost failed to honour verbal agreements concerning writing credits and a soundtrack album. She further alleges that Cameron and Holden misappropriated 900,000 Australian dollars from a joint venture established to produce the film. Those allegations are disputed and have not been established by the court.
Wilson sat at the back of the courtroom during Monday’s proceedings as her barrister, Dauid Sibtain, questioned Holden, who was the first witness to give evidence in the hearing.
The proceedings were adjourned until Tuesday.
The latest case follows another legal dispute involving Wilson and The Deb. In July, the Federal Court in Sydney ruled in Wilson’s favour in a defamation case brought by Charlotte MacInnes, the film’s lead actor.
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MacInnes had challenged several Instagram posts in which Wilson suggested that she had withdrawn a sexual harassment complaint involving Ghost in order to advance her career. MacInnes denied making such a complaint.
The court ruled that Wilson’s posts were not defamatory and found that MacInnes had not established serious reputational harm. MacInnes’ legal team said after the ruling that an appeal would be pursued.
The ongoing litigation has kept The Deb at the centre of a series of legal disputes involving its director, producers and cast, even after the film eventually reached cinemas.
For now, the New South Wales case remains ongoing, with the court expected to hear further evidence about the disagreements surrounding the production and release of the film.