Rebel Wilson Tearfully Discusses $3.7 Million Defamation Case Win

She is set to receive the damages from Baueer Media and reiterated in her interview to Australian TV show Sunday Night that she plans to donate her payout to charity

By Corinne Heller Nov 26, 2017 8:09 PMTags

Rebel Wilson got emotional on Australian TV talking about her defamation case against a global magazine publisher and reiterated that she plans on donating her record payout to charity.

In September, the Australian Pitch Perfect actress won A$4.6 million ($3.7 million) in damages after Bauer Media was found to have defamed her in articles printed in tabloids like Woman's Day and Australian Women's Weekly. She and her legal team had argued the stories, which accused her of lying about her age, name and other personal details, were inaccurate, damaged her reputation and caused her to lose a few acting roles.

"Yes, I'm an actress and I'm in the public eye," she said on Australia's Channel 7 TV show Sunday Night this weekend through tears, "But I'm a human being, who worked really, really hard to get to that point. And then to have it all taken away was just, it was just malicious, and it was ugly." 

"People were calling me a liar and a fake and for someone like me prides herself on being very candid and authentic, it was just probably the most devastating thing they could have said to me," she said.

Wilson told Sunday Night that she did not lie about her age, but rather chose not to reveal it, and also did not lie about her name, saying she legally adopted the family nickname Rebel in 2002.

Bauer is expected to appeal the amount of damages they have to pay out, which is the highest defamation payout in Australian history and at least twice the amount awarded in past defamation cases in the country.

"They're whining about the amount they're gonna have to pay me and trying to get it reduced," Wilson said. "Which is really gross considering that I'm giving the money to charity."

Bauer Media has not responded to the actress' comments.

After the ruling, Wilson had tweeted, "I'm looking forward to helping out some great Australian charities and supporting the Oz film industry with the damages I've received."

"Also looking forward to getting back to my career and entertaining everyone!" she added.

Wilson can be seen next reprising her role of Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect 3, which hits theaters in the United States on December 22.

She is currently filming the comedy film Nasty Women, a remake of the 1988 comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, with Anne Hathaway. The new film is set for release in August.

Wilson can also be seen in the 2019 romantic comedy movie Isn't It Romantic with Liam Hemsworth and Priyanka Chopra.

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