In a fight that had been doing rounds for some time over contract issues, Australian comedy actress and writer of the musical set in rural Australia, The Deb, which she co-wrote and co-produced, Rebel Wilson countersued the producers of The Deb. The disputes have escalated to stealing, bullying, and sexual harassment in the making of the film.
Countersuit Filed by Wilson. Wilson’s complaint goes further by alleging that the producers of The Deb stole her creative contributions to the musical, thereby accusing them of finding theft of intellectual property. She alleges that they used all of the ideas and effort from her without any recognition or compensation for her in the show. According to her, her concepts had been used without her consent, and she was not given any opportunity for input on questions that necessarily determined the direction the show would pursue.
The case further highlights poor working conditions in the production where bullying and harassment were said to occur. Wilson reports that she was given verbal as well as emotional abuse from a good number of the producers that end up making an unprofessional hostile workplace and this, according to the reports, is seconded by a number of the crew members that saw these events, yet they opt not to reveal the information to the public.
Perhaps most disturbing, though, are allegations of sexual misconduct by Wilson. The countersuit describes the ways those connected to the production acted improperly toward her and other women on the team. Wilson’s lawyers have indicated that such claims are grave and at the center of the overall toxic environment she experienced working on the project.
The case was filed after a precursor case by the makers of The Deb against Wilson, claiming that she had breached contracts mostly about terms and obligations concerning promotions. Afterwards, lawyers for Wilson promised to defend her in a most aggressive manner, seeking justice for all the wrongdoings she is accused of having suffered.
As this battle in the court unfolds, it, at the same time, reveals and brings out the badly hidden battle of women in the entertainment industry. Neither Wilson nor the producers have commented; however, it surely is going to bring out more revelations during the forthcoming weeks.
