The year-long drama surroundingRebel Wilson's directorial debutThe Debhas encountered a new allegation onto the seemingly growing legal pile.
An audio recording obtained byThe Hollywood Reporterand recounted by Amanda Ghost's attorney as part of a newly released deposition transcript, allegedly reveal members of Wilson's crisis PR team appearing to discuss plans for a smear campaign against Ghost, whom the actress previously named as a producer of her stalled film.
According to the outlet, the recording captures a conversation involving Jed Wallace — who owns a crisis public relations firm — who seems to outline strategies to spread damaging allegations about Ghost online. The discussion includes creating anonymous websites and circulating false claims that the producer was involved in serious criminal activity. Ghost has denied all allegations.
"We can't just do, like, oh, she's a bitch, she sucks," a speaker whomTHRidentifies as Wallace says in the recording. "It's, like, it's got to be really, really heavy and connected to something that heavy." The speaker goes on to suggest falsely claiming that Ghost is an "absolute madame" who was "getting hookers for Blavatnik," referring to billionaire Len Blavatnik, whose AI Film company financedThe Deb. Blavatnik did not respond toTHRfor comment.
Friday's filing alleges that Wallace was instructing The Agency Group entertainment publicist Melissa Nathan, as well as other collaborators, on how to amplify the accusations by using anonymous content and online platforms, though it remains unclear who authorized the effort. At one point during the minute-long recording, the speaker identified as Wallace seemingly references Hollywood power lawyer Bryan Freedman, Wilson's then-counsel.
Katie Case, former vice president of TAG, said in a deposition that the recording was sent to her by Melissa Nathan. Ghost's lawyers claim at the deposition that she was told to review a document detailing accusations the site ultimately alleged against the producer. The outlet reported that the now-deleted site — titled Amanda Ghost is a Destroyer of Worlds — represented itself as being written by a whistleblower.
THRalso reported that court filings, including an exhibit to a declaration, tendered in a California District Court name Camp Sugar, seemingly referring to Wilson's production company, as an author of that document detailing the accusations.
"Rebel Wilson has repeatedly denied any involvement in the creation of the smear websites — not just on television but in her sworn legal testimony," Camille Vasquez, a lawyer for Ghost, toldEntertainment Weeklyin a statement. "We, however, had long suspected that she not only contributed to the malicious sites but that she was the driving force behind them. The evidence we have submitted to the court in California supports that conclusion."
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Wilson, Freedman, Nathan, and Wallace did not immediately respond when EW reached out for comment. Freedmanpreviously toldTHRthat neither he nor Nathan and Wallace were involved in any sites filled with character-assassinating claims.
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The recording is the latest upset in the year-long battle between Wilson and several film producers, that has seen numerous suits and countersuits on multiple sides.
Wilson kicked off the legal battle in July 2024, when sheposted a videoto her Instagram and accused the film's producers — Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden — ofattempting to blockThe Deb's planned premierein the closing slot of the Toronto International Film Festival. At the time, thePitch Perfectstar insinuated the producers had engaged in "inappropriate behavior toward the lead actress" on set, calling them "absolute f---wits" in the post's caption.
Ghost, Cameron, and Holden hit back with adefamation suitin the same month, accusing Wilson of unprofessional conduct and of making "unauthorized and improper disclosures" about the film. Ghost's defamation lawsuit included allegations that she and her public relations team were behind alleged smear websites that targeted Ghost, including one that accused her of "procuring young women for the pleasure of the extremely wealthy," according toTHR.
In October 2024, Wilsoncountersued her producers, accusing them of misappropriating $900,000 in Australian currency and expanding on the claim thatThe Debstar Charlotte MacInnes came to Wilson with an allegation about Ghost, which Wilson was later punished for reporting.
MacInnes herselffiled a concerns noticein August 2025, accusing Wilson of defaming her by spreading the allegation that she identified as a victim of Ghost's sexual misconduct, claims whichshe called"completely false and absurd."
The Debdid ultimately premiere as the closing film of the 2024 edition of TIFF, but has yet to receive a wider release.
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