By Adelaide Lang in Sydney

Rebel Wilson has denied falsifying a complaint by the star of her directorial debut, describing the claimed sexual harassment incident as an “absolute nightmare situation”. 

The Pitch Perfect star is being sued by Charlotte MacInnes, the 27-year-old lead actor of the musical comedy The Deb.

MacInnes alleges she was defamed by Wilson in social media posts that suggested she is a liar who retracted a sexual harassment complaint to further her acting and music career.

MacInnes confided she felt uncomfortable after the film’s co-producer, Amanda Ghost, asked to have a shower and a bath together in September 2023, according to Wilson.

During her second day in the witness box on Wednesday, the first-time director told the Federal Court the young actor later “flip-flopped” on her complaint while sounding nervous in a phone call.

MacInnes’ barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC noted her client had consistently denied making a complaint and suggested Wilson made up the comments to sow division.

The Bridesmaids star rejected the accusation, and described a producer and young lead actor living and having a bath together as a terrible scenario.

“It is an absolute nightmare situation for me who’s a first-time director making a movie that is essentially a girl-power movie,” she said.

“It would not at all be in my interest to make up a sexual harassment complaint.”

Wilson suggested someone spoke to MacInnes to get her to change her story before the phone call in which the young actor insisted she had not been uncomfortable during the earlier incident.

The first-time director reported the conversation back to Ms Ghost, telling her “Charlotte says all good”, texts tendered to the court showed.

But Wilson said she felt a lingering sense of unease about the situation after observing a change in how the pair interacted, including overt sexual conversations.

“It was really suss,” she said.

Ms Chrysanthou accused the Hollywood star of raising the alleged complaint after it had been resolved in order to get her way during a dispute with her co-producer, something Wilson denied.

The famous actor has also repeatedly denied bullying and harassing MacInnes, saying she considers herself a champion of women.

She was questioned about texts she sent to the young star in May 2023 after inviting her to a theatre production with other cast members of The Deb.

MacInnes apologised for not getting back to her and blamed a lack of wi-fi, the texts showed.

“I appreciate the apology,” Wilson replied.

“In the future, it is terribly rude to say you wanted a ticket to a show and then you don’t reply or follow up … not a great start to our working relationship.”

MacInnes sent “huge apologies” and praised the older actor as “nothing short of wonderful”.

Wilson rejected suggestions from Ms Chrysanthou that the text was utterly inappropriate, bullying or “over the top chastisement” of a junior actor.

“I don’t regard one text message as bullying,” she said.

She similarly dismissed any suggestion of wrongdoing in connection with her inability to hand over communications requested by MacInnes’ legal team.

Wilson said her phone had been stolen in London in 2025 and some of her WhatsApp and text chains hadn’t been backed up.

“Are you sure your phone was stolen and you didn’t just dump it in a park?” Ms Chrysanthou asked.

Wilson’s lawyer Dauid Sibtain SC objected to the question but not before his client described the allegation as “absolutely outrageous”.