This story contains discussion of alleged sexual harassment.
Last year, it was revealed that she was sued by the producers of her unreleased directorial debut The Deb — specifically Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and executive producer Vince Holden — after publicly accusing them of embezzlement and “absolute viciousness and retaliatory behavior.”
In a countersuit, Rebel further accused the producers of “theft, bullying, and sexual misconduct,” further alleging that Amanda sexually harassed The Deb‘s lead actor Charlotte MacInnes on set.
Then, a production company behind The Deb sued Rebel this past summer, alleging that the actor effectively sabotaged the release of the film. This was followed by a legal complaint from Charlotte herself, who alleged that Rebel’s sexual harassment claims on her behalf were “completely false and absurd.”
Earlier today, Rebel appeared on 60 Minutes Australia to discuss the multiple lawsuits she’s facing for the first time — and it seems like she’s sticking to her story, for now at least.
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“I felt that in my position as director, I had to report that,” Rebel said of the allegation she made on behalf of Charlotte. “And the moment I did, [it] started all the kind of retaliation against me.”
After the news program recounted Amanda’s side of the allegation — specifically, that she allegedly took a hot shower with Charlotte after experiencing a medical reaction on-set to cold water — Rebel claimed that Charlotte told her, “Amanda Ghost asked me to [take] a bath and shower with her, and it made me feel really uncomfortable.”
When the interviewer asked Rebel if there was “no doubt” that Charlotte “used those words,” she replied, “She told me she was uncomfortable, yeah. She came to me, she made what I obviously inferred as a sexual harassment complaint, and I had a duty to then act on it.”
The interviewer then presented Rebel with alleged texts between her and Amanda, in which she claimed to have spoken with Charlotte about the alleged incident and that the actor told Rebel she was “all good.”
“How I would describe those texts, is I’m trying to maintain professional communication with Amanda Ghost — she’s the producer, she’s the access to the money for the film,” she claimed. “This is weeks before we start shooting the movie, and I’m trying to keep a very professional communication, but at the same time I’m feeling very uneasy.”
“I think, when it gets into the details in court, I don’t think anyone in their right mind believes that a medical incident occurred and Amanda Ghost needed the body warmth of an actress to save her life. It’s just not credible.”
Later in the interview, Rebel was asked if she sees the public statements she’s made around the situation as “bullying.” “No, I see that as, like, standing up for my movie and the hard work that everyone put into it for years,” she replied. “I think it’s wild it’s gotten to this point. I think it’s a ridiculous waste of the Australian legal system.”
She then went on to claim that Charlotte “reported something to me, I acted on it, in my position as the director of the movie…I had an ethical, moral responsibility to do that.”
Rebel also went on to claim that it’s “undeniable” that Charlotte walked back her alleged initial claim for the sake of career gain. “I believe her only work since filming The Deb was in a stage show that Amanda Ghost produced,” she said. “Despite Oscar and Tony-nominated performers auditioning for the role, it gets given to an unknown Australian?”
When the interviewer pointed out that it sounded like Rebel was questioning Charlotte’s talent, the actor replied, “I think she’s talented, which is why I cast her in the movie…but I guess it’s undeniable the benefits she has received since finishing the film.”
OK! You can watch the entire interview with Rebel here.
