Hooooly bloody dooly. A defamation lawyer has speculated how much Rebel Wilson would be awarded after winning her dramatic legal battle against Bauer Media, and we’re talking millions.
“Defamation in Australia is capped for normal damages at just over $380,000, but if you can prove that you’ve lost money, lost a contract or a job, then you get the value of that contract of job,” media lawyer Justin Quill told 3AW this morning.
“In her case, knowing the sort of money she can earn, that could be millions. So you’ve got normal damages and you’ve got special damages and the real question is whether she gets special damages because that’s where the big money is.”
That being said, his guess was that Rebel would be awarded “$250,000 plus all costs” but no special damages, which is what would push the figure into the millions.
Wilson alleged that these articles resulted in her being sacked from DreamWorks films ‘Trolls‘ and ‘Kung Fu Panda 3‘ for being “too divisive”.
“Month after month, that all of a sudden doors that used to be open were shut and I basically had to beg to get back in the door,” she told the jury. “It became apparent that … [the articles] did a tremendous amount of damage.”
Could well be pay day for old mate Rebel.
“Their conduct can only be described as disgraceful,” she said. “I look forward to rebuilding my career. I am grateful it’s all over.”
Thank you again to everyone for your support x pic.twitter.com/nRYm2f99Gq
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) June 15, 2017
Speaking about the case on Sunrise this morning, entertainment reporter Peter Ford said he reckons the case will provide an interesting example to other Australian celebs often rake-mucked by the press.
“I think a lot of people like Bec and Lleyton [Hewitt], Nicole [Kidman] and Keith [Urban], Samantha Armytage and Karl Stefanovic, all of them are going to think, ‘Maybe we don’t have to sit back and take it’,” he said.
Interesting to see if Karlos’ pure blind rage at the Daily Mail will make the leap from blistering take-downs to the courtroom. TBH, would not be surprised.
Photo: Darrian Traynor / Getty.