Rebel Wilson's shock Aussie media ban
Aussie actress Rebel Wilson is in the midst of promoting her new film Pitch Perfect 3 movie in Australia, but one local media outlet has received a ‘blanket ban’ on access to the star.
Fairfax Media, the publisher of Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, has been refused an interview with Wilson, banned from covering the red carpet at the premiere, and staff invitations to attend the film screening have been cancelled.
Fairfax reports that while no official reason for the ban has been given, Wilson is understood to be upset with the company’s CEO Greg Hywood.
Wilson was unhappy that a request she made to the CEO in 2015 was revealed during her defamation trial against Bauer Media.
During the trial, Wilson admitted to lobbying to wipe a 2002 article published by Fairfax in order to keep her age a mystery.
Wilson said she wanted the article removed so emailed Hywood to ask for a favour.
“This man, I was in a business relationship with, and he asked me to reach out if I ever needed anything,” she said of her request to Hywood.
Nobody from Fairfax testified during the trial but they did respond to a court order to supply Wilson’s correspondence with Hywood.
“We are disappointed that Ms Wilson refuses to treat Fairfax journalists professionally,” said a Fairfax Media spokesperson.
“Fairfax responded to a subpoena as part of legal proceedings she commenced. We were compelled by the court to do so.”
In September, Wilson was awarded Australia’s highest ever defamation payout, successfully suing Bauer Media of $4.5 million.
Articles published in Woman’s Day, Australian Women’s Weekly, NW and OK! were found to have wrongly portrayed her as a serial liar who faked her way to Hollywood.
Tonight, Wilson and her Pitch Perfect co-stars will walk the red carpet at the film’s premiere in Sydney.