Hollywood actor Rebel Wilson has been slammed in court after sacking her original lawyers and leaving her new legal team in the lurch during a high-profile film feud.
The 45-year-old and her firm Camp Sugar are being sued by the production company behind The Deb, a musical comedy filmed in rural NSW that Wilson produced and directed, while also starring.
She will be made to testify in September to defend claims she breached her contract with AI Film Production, gave misleading statements and made injurious falsehoods.
The Pitch Perfect star was lambasted in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday by the production company's barrister for not complying with the timetable for the case.
Sue Chrysanthou SC also criticised Wilson for firing her old lawyers days before the directions hearing.
"No explanation has been provided ... for the timing of that decision and why she couldn't wait until today to make that decision," she said.
"[There is no explanation] why when she terminated her lawyers, on Tuesday she didn't have other lawyers ready to go."
Wilson's new barrister was forced to plead ignorance over much of the details of the case, including the arguments the actor plans to use in her defence.
"A question of good faith may be inferred from the context of the dealings between the parties," Dauid Sibtain SC said.
"I don't know what we say that context was."
He conceded it was unacceptable that Wilson had failed to comply with orders to produce evidence.
The Deb premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 but has been blocked from wider distribution by the ongoing legal action.
Wilson has been paid over AU$1 million (NZ$1.17 million) for her roles as actor, director and producer in the still-unreleased film.
AI is seeking damages for lost revenue, but Chrysanthou said calculating lost income would be impossible until box office takings from its eventual release could be assessed.
A proposed release date of April had been flagged for the film, she said.
Wilson and the production company are set to face off during a two-week hearing, scheduled to begin on September 14.
Four witnesses – including Wilson – will be called to provide the bulk of the evidence, the court was told.
Producers Amanda Ghost and Vince Holden are also expected to testify along with star of the film, Charlotte MacInnes.
While one dispute heads towards a climax, the troubled film and its cast and crew remain embroiled in other lawsuits spanning different continents.
Wilson is also facing a defamation suit brought by MacInnes in the Federal Court over social media posts that claimed the younger actor revealed she was subjected to sexual harassment.
MacInnes' denials that any sexual misconduct took place have not deterred Wilson, who stands by the claims.
In California, Ghost and Holden have sued Wilson for defamation over allegations including embezzlement, sexual harassment of MacInnes and obstruction of the film's release.
Wilson has attempted to counter-sue, but a judge in January indicated he would likely strike all of her claims from her complaint.
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