MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Rebel Wilson was devastated by a series of magazine articles that she says painted her as a liar and subsequently cost her roles in Hollywood, a lawyer for the actress said Monday.
Wilson is suing Australian publisher Bauer Media for defamation over several articles published in 2015 that the Australian-born actress said led to her film contracts being terminated.
At the opening of the trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Monday, Wilson’s lawyer, Matthew Collins, said his client was “cut to the core” when she learned 1.5 million people had read an article online that said she had lied about her name, age and upbringing in Australia. Collins said the articles were published to coincide with a high point in Wilson’s acting career, including the release of “Pitch Perfect 2.”
“She thought she’d never been hit with such nastiness, coincided to time with the pinnacle of her career,” Collins told the court.
Collins said Wilson was subsequently fired from several movie roles.