Rebel Wilson seeks to delay defamation trial to March 2027
An ex parte application filed October 21 asks to move the January 19, 2027 start after lead lawyer Allyson K. Thompson's breast cancer diagnosis.
Rebel Wilson's lead lawyer, Allyson K. Thompson, filed an ex parte application on October 21, 2026, asking a court to move the director's defamation trial with the producers of The Deb from January 19, 2027, to March 22, 2027.
The filing states that Thompson was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is on medical leave for surgery from November 30, 2026, through January 4, 2027. It also asks that summary judgment hearings set for December be pushed back.
According to the filing, a telephonic meet and confer on Friday, October 16, 2026, produced an agreement in principle to continue the trial to March 22, 2027, or a later mutually acceptable date. The application says all the principals agreed to the request to move the trial back more than two months.
A hearing in downtown Los Angeles is scheduled for Friday to address the requests.
Background to the dispute
The Deb, released by Sunrise Films in late August, debuted at TIFF 2024 amid legal disputes. Earlier this year, an Australian court ruled that Wilson did not defame actress Charlotte MacInnes, whose appeal continues.
Quick answers
When is the Rebel Wilson defamation trial scheduled?
It is currently set for January 19, 2027. Wilson's lawyers have asked to move it to March 22, 2027.
Why are Wilson's lawyers asking for a delay?
The filing says lead attorney Allyson K. Thompson was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is on medical leave for surgery from November 30, 2026, through January 4, 2027.
When will the court consider the request?
A hearing in downtown Los Angeles is scheduled for Friday.