While Rebel Wilson is appealing a judge’s ruling that producers of a film directed by the Australian film star can move forward with their defamation suit against her, the producers want to also proceed with their defense against Wilson’s countersuit.
Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden sued Wilson in Los Angeles Superior Court on July 12 after the actor told her 11 million followers in an Instagram post that the producers of the film “The Deb” had engaged in theft, bullying and sexual misconduct.
Judge Thomas D. Long heard arguments on the dismissal motion on Nov. 21, briefly took the case under submission and issued his final ruling the same day, denying Wilson’s anti-SLAPP motion.
The state’s anti-SLAPP — Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation — statute is aimed at stopping people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate those who are exercising their First Amendment rights.
Wilson is not only appealing Long’s ruling, but also wants the judge to put a stay on the entire proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal, including her countersuit accusing the producers of a “troubling pattern” of “theft, bullying and sexual misconduct” and that they inflated the film’s budget and split the extra money between them. A hearing is scheduled Jan. 23.
The producers’ legal team includes Camille M. Vasquez, who represented Johnny Depp in his dueling litigation with former spouse Amber Heard. On Thursday, Vasquez filed court papers stating the motion “reeks of desperation and bad faith” and that the countersuit has “paragraph after paragraph of highly incendiary and knowingly false allegations.”
Vasquez further states in her court papers that Wilson is using the excuse of waiting for the appeal’s outcome to avoid litigating her own case.
“Wilson voluntarily chose to assert her claims in this action three months ago, promising that her filing was only the “tip of the iceberg,” Vasquez states in her pleadings. “Plaintiffs are entitled to examine the promised iceberg.”
In his November ruling, which is now on appeal, the judge found that the statements at issue by the 44-year-old Wilson did not involve matters of public interest, but instead were made in the context of the celebrity’s private business dispute with the plaintiffs surrounding the production and premiere of the film.
There are no charges pending against the plaintiffs and Wilson has not taken action aimed at bringing about a criminal investigation, Long further wrote.
“The fact that defendant’s statements accuse plaintiff of criminal conduct make them defamatory on their face,” the judge wrote.
Ghost filed a sworn declaration in opposition to the dismissal motion.
“I have suffered significant harm as a result of Wilson’s defamation, including the emotional and reputational harm and the embarrassment of being smeared as a criminal embezzler and sexual abuser in front of an audience of millions,” Ghost said.
Wilson’s statements additionally have disrupted efforts to sell the “The Deb,” jeopardizing and perhaps destroying the ability to recoup the producers’ investment or receive future profits, Ghost further contends.
Wilson’s film credits include the 2011 comedy films “Bridesmaids” and “A Few Best Men.”