Rebel Wilson’s attorney is asking a judge to order former Johnny Depp lawyer Camille Vasquez and members of her team to stop making “extra-judicial statements” to the media about a lawsuit brought by three producers of Wilson’s film “The Deb,” all of whom are suing the Australian actress for defamation.
On Tuesday, Wilson’s attorney filed court papers with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Thomas D. Long stating that the remarks made by Vasquez and others are inaccurate and harmful. Vasquez is a high-profile litigation attorney best known for representing Johnny Depp in his 2022 defamation trial against Amber Heard. The plaintiffs in Vasquez’s current case are Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden.
“Ms. Camille Vasquez has repeatedly and in an ongoing pattern made media statements that comment on court rulings, the meaning of deposition testimony, the status of the case, credibility of witnesses and parties and generally disparaging Ms. Wilson at every turn,” Wilson’s lawyer states in her pleadings, which also allege that Vasquez is violating the attorneys’ rule of professional conduct and that what she is allegedly saying is potentially prejudicial to Wilson.
Vasquez is “attempting to poison the well of public opinion regarding a well-known actress whose directorial debut film “The Deb” is set to be released in a matter of weeks,” according to Wilson’s lawyer’s pleadings.
Wilson’s attorney further states in her court papers that although Vasquez has been asked to stop such behavior, “it remains clear that they have no intention of ceasing their conduct.”
Wilson’s lawyer is asking for a hearing on the issue on April 2. A representative for Vasquez could not be immediately reached for comment.
Alleging new defamatory statements, `Ghost has filed a separate defamation action in addition to the one she and fellow “The Deb” producers Cameron and Holden originally brought against Wilson in July 2024. The underlying original case alleges that Wilson told her 11 million Instagram followers that the producers of the film had engaged in theft, bullying and sexual misconduct. “The Deb” is a 2024 film that was Wilson’s directorial debut.
Wilson, 46, has moved to dismiss Ghost’s individual action on First Amendment grounds. The anti-SLAPP motion is scheduled for hearing on May 5. Wilson will get another chance to obtain the depositions of the plaintiffs during another hearing scheduled June 4.
Wilson has filed a countersuit in the original underlying case that accuses the producers of a “troubling pattern” of “theft, bullying and sexual misconduct” while also contending that they inflated the film’s budget and split the extra money between them.
Nonetheless, in recent court papers, Wilson’s attorneys are optimistic a trial of all the litigation can be avoided.
“Counsel for Wilson remains optimistic that the ongoing hard work put and productive resolution dialogue between Wilson and some of the parties to date will lead to a global resolution of the case,” the actress’ lawyers state in their pleadings.
In November 2024, the judge denied Wilson’s dismissal motion in the producers’ underlying case and his ruling is under appeal.
In both the underlying case and in opposing Ghost’s individual action, Wilson is citing the state’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute. The law is aimed at stopping people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate those who are exercising their First Amendment rights.