Wilson cross-claims Cameron and Holden embezzled $900,000 from joint venture
Wilson sat in the back row of the small courtroom, frequently typing on her phone, as her barrister Dauid Sibtain SC questioned producer Holden about a series of budget and financing emails regarding the 2024 film. The proceedings are being heard by Justice Elisabeth Peden.
The producers’ lawsuit alleges Wilson accused them in her July 2024 social media posts of inappropriate conduct toward the lead actor of The Deb, of embezzling funds and of trying to block the film’s release. The producers claim Wilson then prevented the release by undermining negotiations with potential distributors and threatening an injunction against showing the film in Australia.
In a cross-claim, Wilson and Camp Sugar allege Ghost, Cameron and Holden’s involvement in the film was marked by “a troubling pattern of illicit egregious behaviours, including theft, bullying and sexual misconduct.” Wilson claimed Ghost broke verbal agreements over writing credits and a soundtrack album deal, and that Cameron and Holden embezzled $900,000 from a joint venture company set up to make the film.
Holden, part of AI Film Production Limited, agreed he asked for a “last-chance call” in October 2023 over AI Film’s requests for increased fees and Wilson’s offer to reduce her acting and directing fee to $1m. Sibtain asked if Wilson had been incredibly upset and angry at AI Film’s proposed $300,000 fee rising to more than $650,000 plus finance costs without consulting her.
“I would not say upset,” Holden said. “She didn’t like the fees being there.”
After he cut off further money towards the film, Holden told fellow producers: “the clock has stopped ticking and I’m waiting for the boom.” AI Film had advanced considerable funds to keep the production on time and “we didn’t have a final agreement on fee levels,” he said.
AI Film had planned an “extremely bold investment” toward producing The Deb before securing a share of the rights to the film. “You accepted that $15m was a lot of money to risk on a first-time director, do you agree?” Sibtain asked. “Correct, yes,” Holden said.
Holden agreed AI Film was “quite content to risk that money and see where it ended up” and that the risk increased when the budget “subsequently went up to over $20m”. AI Film company directors claimed Wilson’s alleged statements breached contracts and her obligations as production company director, causing economic loss, the withdrawal of an offer from a potential distributor and reputational damage to the producers.
Wilson and her company had an initial fee of six per cent of the film’s budget, shared 50-50 with AI Film. The Deb — eventually released in April 2026 — had multiple estimates for its potential worldwide revenue, starting from a predicted loss of $4.5m if it performed poorly. If successful, the film could “break even” or make a multimillion-dollar profit, the court heard.
As a musical comedy with an Australian theme, The Deb’s predicted revenue was based on films Pitch Perfect, Muriel’s Wedding, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Strictly Ballroom. “They were all breakout successes but some of them came out 15 to 30 years ago,” Sibtain said. “When people went to cinemas, before streaming.”
The hearing continues. The equity case comes after a separate defamation trial in May involving Wilson and the star of her directorial debut. Australian actor Charlotte MacInnes claimed she was defamed in four social media posts by Wilson, but a judge in July dismissed the case.