Rebel Wilson accuses ‘vile’ producers of blocking directorial debut

The star has alleged that the producers of her debut feature, The Deb, have pulled the film from premiering at the closing night of Toronto International Film Festival.

Picture: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Australian actor Rebel Wilson has lashed out of the producers of her directorial debut, alleging that they are blocking the film from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival [TIFF].

Wilson, 44, directed the musical The Deb, which she claims was selected as the closing night film for TIFF 2024. In a post to her followers on Instagram overnight, Wilson, 44, accused producers of Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden of “inappropriate behaviour” and embezzling funds from the indie film’s budget.

Wilson wrote that the trio acted with “absolute viciousness,” in allegedly pulling the film from the festival. “To have the joy of the movie being selected is one thing, but then to have the business partners turn around and say that, no the movie can’t premiere is beyond devastating,” Wilson said in the post.

“Every step of the way, these people who I complained about then tried to make my life hell.”

Wilson said that she fears that the producers might not release the film. “They might bury it,” she said.

“This is work of hundreds of people who have put their heart and soul into this. And this behaviour is absolutely vile and disgusting.”

In a statement provided to Deadline, a spokesman for the films producers have denied Wilson’s allegations, claiming that the star has created a “false narrative about them.”

“Her self-promotional claims are clearly intended to cause reputational harm to the individuals who have supported her directorial debut film The Deb – a joyous movie that we’re very proud of and are looking forward to sharing with audiences.”

The Deb, shot in Sydney and rural NSW last year, is based on the musical of the same name by Hannah Reilly and Megan Washington, which played in 2022 at the Rebel Theatre in Sydney.

In March this year, Wilson accused the British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen of attempting to stop the publication of her memoir, Rebel Rising, after she publicly accused him of acting inappropriately towards her on the set of the 2016 film Grimsby.