Actor Rebel Wilson took out defamation insurance before she posted a series of allegedly slanderous social media posts about the star of her directorial debut, a court has heard.

The Pitch Perfect star directed, co-produced and starred in The Deb, a musical comedy set in rural NSW that was released only recently due to multiple legal battles.

Wilson is being sued by lead actor Charlotte MacInnes over social media posts claiming MacInnes confided in her that she felt uncomfortable with co-producer Amanda Ghost.

MacInnes has denied complaining to Wilson and said she has been seriously harmed by the Sydney-born Hollywood star’s suggestions she retracted the alleged comments in return for a lead role and a record deal.

“It it is a lie,” Macinnes’ lawyer Sue Chrysanthou SC told the Federal Court on Monday.

“No such conversation occurred. That is a fabrication by Ms Wilson.”

The social media posts are said to have blamed MacInnes for blocking the film’s release with lies. The also allegedly portrayed her as selfishly putting her own career ahead of the 300 cast and crew who worked on The Deb.

But Chrysanthou said MacInnes it was outrageous to suggest her client had anything to do with delaying the film’s release when Wilson instigated and spread the bad publicity.

Wilson took out defamation insurance with QBE after learning she would not be given writing credit for the film “so she could go ballistic on social media”, Chrysanthou said.

She said that, instead of checking in on MacInnes as an alleged victim of inappropriate behaviour, Wilson made “grotesque” claims on her Instagram stories.

“This is how this bully, apparently this saviour of women, the protector of the harassed, responds,” she said.

But Wilson’s lawyer Dauid Sibtain SC said she had raised her concerns with others, even though she had doubts about the veracity of the alleged complaint.

He said the central issue wasn’t whether MacInnes was a victim, but whether she complained to Wilson and then changed her story.

“The reason she did so is obvious … to ensure her career as an actress and musician progressed by appeasing Ms Ghost,” Sibtain told the court.

The lure of future opportunities, which have since materialised for MacInnes as a lead role in a stage production and a record deal with a prestigious label, was sufficient motive, he said.

MacInnes says Wilson’s social media posts damaged her professional reputation and created doubts about her trustworthiness before she could even enjoy the benefits of playing her first lead role in a film.

The up-and-coming actor is seeking aggravated damages for the harm caused, as well as a court order preventing Wilson from repeating the claims.

Yet Sibtain said her professional career had progressed since the social media posts were shared for 24 hours to Wilson’s 11 million followers.

“She suffered no harm to her career at all,” he told the court.

Wilson and MacInnes avoided eye contact as they sat near each other in court on Monday. Wilson occasionally scoffed through proceedings.

Earlier, the Bridesmaids star praised The Deb as she entered the Federal Court for the first day of the nine-day hearing.

“I love the movie. The Deb is so cute and amazing,” she said.

Wilson smiled as she walked into the courthouse after flying to Australia from the US at the weekend.

She and her wife, Ramona Agura, are expected to give evidence next week.

The Deb premiered in 2024 but had been blocked from wider distribution by legal disputes.

It was released in Australia on April 9. Some local reviews have praised it as “joyous” and “filthy, fun, but most of all moving”, while another said “many moments fall flat”.

-AAP