Rebel Wilson Talks About Her Directorial Debut Amid Ongoing Legal Battle

Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut, "The Deb," is expected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, but it arrives amid a legal dispute with three of its producers.

Amanda Ghost and Gregor Cameron, along with executive producer Vince Holden, filed a defamation lawsuit against Wilson in July.

The lawsuit stems from a July 10 Instagram video in which Rebel Wilson accused the producers of "bad behavior" on set.

Wilson -- who shares a 20-month-old daughter named Royce with her fiancée, Ramona Agruma -- alleged that she was met with "absolute viciousness and retaliatory behavior" after she reported the producers' purported actions.

In response, Ghost, Cameron, and Holden refuted her claims of embezzlement and leveled their own accusations against Wilson regarding her behavior during the film’s production.

According to a legal document obtained by People Magazine, they allege that Wilson "flatly refused to collaborate with Plaintiffs, absconded from the Film for months at a time, behaved unprofessionally with employees of the Film, and repeatedly made unauthorized and improper disclosures about the Film."

The "JoJo Rabbit" actress spoke with People Magazine ahead of the September 14 red carpet event, acknowledging that the situation "is not ideal."

Wilson, who had previously accused the producers of attempting to block the film from screening at TIFF, noted, "Obviously, there was a struggle to have the movie play."

Despite the challenges, she is focusing on the positives. "At the end of the day, I'm so proud of the fact that [TIFF CEO] Cameron Bailey chose this to play at the festival. And the honor to be chosen for TIFF — and again, as a first-time female director — it's just huge," the 44-year-old filmmaker told the outlet.

When asked if she’s hopeful of moving past the legal issues soon, Wilson responded, "Yeah, I feel very confident that... Yeah, because the movie speaks for itself. It's so good and it's so original and so unique and it's just going to — the movie will shine."

After the defamation suit was filed, Wilson took to Instagram on July 12 to assert, "It’s not defamation if it’s the TRUTH," alleging that the lawsuit was a “bogus PR stunt.”

Just four days later, Wilson announced on Instagram that "The Deb" would be closing the 2024 edition of TIFF.

Many members of the film’s cast and crew have taken to social media to praise the first-time director. Actor Max Ostler noted that she “consistently expressed immense gratitude toward all individuals involved in the project.” He also highlighted her thoughtful gestures, such as presenting personalized caps to each cast member as keepsake gifts and distributing raffle prizes during one of the filming nights.

In the video shared on social media earlier this year, Wilson accused producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden of attempting to block her movie’s premiere at TIFF. She alleged that their hostility stemmed from an October 2023 altercation when she reported their "bad behavior."

Wilson described the trio’s alleged misconduct as "not minor things, big things," including "inappropriate behavior towards the lead actress of the film" and "embezzling funds from the film’s budget."

"Since I reported that behavior, I have been met with absolute viciousness and retaliatory behavior," she claimed. "Every step of the way, these people who I complained about then tried to make my life hell."

Despite the alleged opposition from the trio, Wilson managed to complete "The Deb" with the support of her dedicated crew and team. However, the producers then reportedly refused to allow the film to premiere at TIFF.

"Almost at the finish line, they're saying it can’t come out. They might not release it. They might bury it," Wilson claimed, adding that Amanda Ghost "has a history of doing this kind of thing, mainly to music artists."

"I won’t be threatened. I will speak the truth and warn people about these individuals in the industry who are not behaving ethically. So that’s my dilemma. If the movie doesn’t play at Toronto, it’s because of these absolute f-ckwits," Wilson concluded.

At this time, "The Deb" does not have a release date.