A newly surfaced audio clip and recent court filings have intensified the ongoing legal fight around Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut, The Deb. The recording, described in a deposition transcript and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, allegedly captures members of Wilson’s crisis PR circle discussing a plan to build anonymous smear sites targeting producer Amanda Ghost — a claim Ghost’s lawyers say supports their defamation case.

What the recording allegedly shows

The audio reportedly features Jed Wallace, who runs a crisis public relations firm, directing publicist Melissa Nathan and others on ways to spread damaging accusations about Amanda Ghost online. The conversation, as reported, includes suggestions to create anonymous websites alleging that Ghost procured young women for wealthy men and to portray her as a “madame.”

In the clip, a speaker identified by The Hollywood Reporter as Wallace says, “We can’t just do, like, oh, she’s a bitch, she sucks. It’s, like, it’s got to be really, really heavy and connected to something that heavy.” The recording also appears to reference linking Ghost to billionaire financier Len Blavatnik.

Who’s involved and the legal backdrop

The dispute began publicly in July 2024, when Wilson posted on Instagram accusing producers — Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden — of trying to block The Deb’s closing-night premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and alleging inappropriate behavior toward the film’s lead.

The producers responded that month with a defamation suit. Wilson countersued in October 2024, alleging misappropriation of funds. Court exhibits and a deposition transcript made part of recent filings now include the leaked audio as evidence that Ghost says links Wilson and her team to the smear efforts.

Ghost’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, told outlets her team believed Wilson “was the driving force” behind the malicious sites and said the new material filed in California supports that view. Wilson, Wallace, Nathan and Wilson’s then-counsel Bryan Freedman have denied involvement in creating smear websites or declined to comment; Freedman previously told The Hollywood Reporter he, Wallace and Nathan were not involved.

Other developments tied to the case

  • The Deb did close TIFF in 2024 but has not received a wider release.
  • Actress Charlotte MacInnes — who starred in The Deb — filed a concerns notice in August 2025 accusing Wilson of defaming her by repeating an allegation about Ghost; MacInnes called the claim “completely false and absurd.”

Why this matters now

The new recording, offered as part of court papers, raises questions about how far campaign tactics may have extended in the dispute and could influence the defamation case’s trajectory. If the audio is admitted as evidence, it may shape discovery and future depositions.

What to expect next

The litigation remains active in California federal court. Expect more filings, depositions and potential motions as both sides press their claims. For audiences, the case will determine not only legal outcomes but also whether The Deb receives a broader release and how reputations on all sides are resolved in court.