Hollywood actor and director Rebel Wilson has successfully defended a defamation lawsuit brought by actress Charlotte MacInnes, with an Australian court dismissing the case stemming from social media posts about the troubled production of Wilson’s directorial debut, The Deb.

Justice Elizabeth Raper of the New South Wales Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that MacInnes had failed to establish that Wilson’s Instagram posts were defamatory, rejecting claims that the posts damaged her reputation and harmed her acting career, CNN said in a report.

MacInnes, who played the lead role in The Deb, alleged that Wilson’s posts to millions of followers subjected her to online abuse, hatred and ridicule.

The dispute centred on Wilson’s comments suggesting that MacInnes had withdrawn a sexual harassment complaint against the film’s producers to advance her career.

MacInnes denied ever making such a complaint.

Wilson argued that she believed MacInnes had reported conduct amounting to sexual harassment during filming and said she acted in her capacity as the film’s director.

One of the key issues examined by the court related to an incident in September 2023, when MacInnes and producer Amanda Ghost shared a bath at a Sydney penthouse rented by the production company.

MacInnes and Ghost told the court they entered the bath wearing swimsuits after returning from a cold swim at Bondi Beach, insisting there was nothing sexual about the incident.

Justice Raper described the circumstances as “unusual” but found that the only statement established by the evidence was that MacInnes had later changed her account of feeling uncomfortable.

The judge ruled that this finding was not defamatory and dismissed the case.

MacInnes was ordered to pay Wilson’s legal costs.

Following the ruling, Wilson thanked the Australian legal system in a post on Instagram, describing the judgment as a “substantial win” and saying she looked forward to moving on.

The case is one of several legal battles surrounding The Deb, an Australian musical comedy that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024 before its Australian cinema release earlier this year.

The film’s producers — Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden — have separately filed their own defamation proceedings against Wilson over allegations she made during the dispute.

Court filings in the broader legal battle include accusations of smear campaigns, financial misconduct and alleged sexual misconduct, all of which have been denied by the parties involved.

The litigation has overshadowed the release of The Deb, which is scheduled for its United States theatrical release in August.