Four million dollar lady
Hollywood star Rebel Wilson (above) has been awarded Australia’s highest ever defamation payout — more than $4.5 million — after her successful legal battle against Bauer Media.
HOLLYWOOD star Rebel Wilson has been awarded Australia’s highest ever defamation payout – more than $4.5 million – after her successful legal battle against Bauer Media.
Supreme Court judge Justice John Dixon said the extent of Wilson’s defamation was “unprecedented” in this country and warranted substantial damages.
Her lawyers told the court that before the trial, Wilson had offered to settle for $200,000 over a series of defamatory articles published in Woman’s Day, Australian Women’s Weekly, New Weekly and OK!
The jury found the articles unfairly painted Wilson, who was not in court, as a serial liar who had faked her way to a Hollywood career.
Justice Dixon was scathing of Bauer’s “campaign” against Wilson to pursue its own corporate objectives.
Bauer general counsel Adrian Goss said his client was considering the judgment.
“Bauer Media has a long history of delivering great stories to our readers and we have a reputation for developing some of the best editorial teams in this country,” Mr Goss said. “This is what we are focused on.”
Wilson, 37, had claimed more than $7 million in damages after a jury found she was maliciously defamed by four Bauer publications. She has vowed to donate any damages awarded to her to charity.
“Any $’s (sic) I receive will go to charity, scholarships or invested into the Aussie film industry to provide jobs,” she said after the jury returned their verdict. “I take being a role model very seriously x.”
Wilson claimed she was sacked from two films and unable to land more work due to the articles. She said she had wanted to stand up to “bullies” Bauer Media publications.
“It really saddened me that a lot of people believed these articles,” Wilson said after the trial. “Hopefully my career will (now) go from strength to strength.”