Rebel Wilson is challenging a motion from Amanda Ghost, one of the producers of her film “The Deb,” who is seeking to conduct discovery prior to the resolution of Wilson’s motion to dismiss her defamation claims. Wilson argues that under current laws, the case is automatically stayed due to her anti-SLAPP motion, which aims to protect her First Amendment rights.
Ghost, along with producers Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden, initially filed a defamation lawsuit against Wilson in July 2024. This action came after Wilson alleged on Instagram to her 11 million followers that the film’s producers were involved in theft, bullying, and sexual misconduct. “The Deb,” which released in 2024, marked Wilson’s debut as a director.
In response to the producers’ claims, Wilson has asked the court to dismiss Ghost’s individual action based on First Amendment protections. Following this, Ghost filed a motion for additional discovery to counter Wilson’s dismissal attempt. However, such a request requires the approval of Judge Thomas D. Long. Ghost argues that this discovery will demonstrate the falsehood of Wilson’s declarations asserting she was not involved in the purported defamatory statements.
Ghost seeks to depose Wilson and her publicist, Melissa Nathan, to question them about their statements. Meanwhile, Wilson’s legal team is pushing against Ghost’s discovery motion, emphasizing that once Wilson filed her anti-SLAPP motion, all discovery associated with Ghost’s claims was automatically stayed. They argue that this stay is designed to protect defendants like Wilson from unnecessary legal burdens and can only be lifted for substantial reasons, not simply to challenge the declarations of the opposing party.
Wilson’s attorneys assert that she has not committed perjury in her declaration, maintaining that she did not create, authorize, or know of the alleged defamatory websites referenced in the case. Additionally, Wilson has countersued the producers, alleging a “troubling pattern” of misconduct, including claims of theft and the inflation of the film’s budget to siphon off extra funds among themselves.
In a related development, a judge ruled against Wilson’s dismissal motion regarding the producers’ original case in November 2024, a decision she is currently appealing. Throughout these proceedings, Wilson is invoking the California anti-SLAPP statute, designed to safeguard individuals from being intimidated through litigation for exercising their free speech rights. This legal framework underscores the importance of protecting those who contribute to public discourse, highlighting the ongoing tensions between creative expression and allegations of misconduct.