History of Rebel Wilson in Timeline

Rebel Wilson is an Australian actress, comedian, and producer. She gained recognition in Australia with appearances in comedy series like *Pizza* and *The Wedge*, as well as creating and starring in *Bogan Pride*. Wilson achieved international fame after moving to the United States, with roles in popular comedy films such as *Bridesmaids* and *A Few Best Men* in 2011.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1966: Death of Walt Disney

Rebel Wilson has stated that her great-aunt was Lillian Disney, who was married to Walt Disney until his death in 1966, although this is disputed.

March 1980: Rebel Wilson's Birth

In March 1980, Rebel Melanie Elizabeth Wilson (born Melanie Elizabeth Bownds) was born. She is an Australian actress, comedian, and producer.

1988: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels release year

In 2019 Rebel Wilson starred alongside Anne Hathaway in The Hustle, a female-centred remake of the 1988 comedy film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

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1997: Completion of Higher School Certificate

In 1997, Rebel Wilson completed her Higher School Certificate, achieving a high ranking and excelling in Food Technology.

2002: Premiere of 'The Westie Monologues'

In 2002, Rebel Wilson's stage musical The Westie Monologues, which she wrote, starred in and produced, premiered in Sydney.

2003: Appearing in 'Pizza' Comedy Series

In 2003, Rebel Wilson began her career by appearing in the SBS comedy series Pizza.

2003: Role in 'Fat Pizza'

In 2003, Rebel Wilson had a role in the feature film Fat Pizza.

2003: Move to New York and Training with The Second City

In 2003, Rebel Wilson moved to New York after winning the ATYP International scholarship, funded by Nicole Kidman, and trained with The Second City.

2004: Telstra Advertisement Appearances

From 2004 to 2005, Rebel Wilson played an Australian Idol mad schoolgirl in a series of Telstra advertisements.

2005: Telstra Advertisement Appearances

From 2004 to 2005, Rebel Wilson played an Australian Idol mad schoolgirl in a series of Telstra advertisements.

2006: Appearing in 'The Wedge'

In 2006, Rebel Wilson appeared in the sketch comedy show The Wedge.

2007: Appearing in 'The Wedge' and 'Ghost Rider'

In 2007, Rebel Wilson appeared in the sketch comedy show The Wedge and the feature film Ghost Rider.

2007: Role in 'Ghost Rider'

In 2007, Rebel Wilson had a role in the feature film Ghost Rider.

2008: Creation of 'Bogan Pride' and starring in 'Monster House'

In 2008, Rebel Wilson created, wrote, produced and starred in the musical comedy series Bogan Pride on SBS One and also starred in the improvisational Nine Network series Monster House.

2008: Creation of 'Bogan Pride'

In 2008, Rebel Wilson wrote, produced, and starred in the musical comedy series Bogan Pride.

2009: Graduation from the University of New South Wales

In 2009, Rebel Wilson graduated from the University of New South Wales with Bachelor of Arts (Theatre and Performance Studies) and Bachelor of Laws degrees.

2009: Tropfest Best Actress Award

In 2009, Rebel Wilson won the Tropfest Best Actress award for her role in the film Bargain.

January 2010: Move to the United States

In January 2010, Rebel Wilson moved to the United States and signed with William Morris Endeavor.

July 2011: Spokesperson for Jenny Craig

In July 2011, Rebel Wilson became a spokesperson for the weight loss and nutrition company Jenny Craig in Australia.

August 2011: Replacement in 'Bachelorette'

On 19 August 2011, Rebel Wilson replaced Casey Wilson in Bachelorette.

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2011: Appearances in 'Bridesmaids' and 'A Few Best Men'

In 2011, Rebel Wilson appeared in the comedy films Bridesmaids and A Few Best Men shortly after moving to the United States.

2011: Liberty and Ryot on 'The Amazing Race Australia'

In 2011, Rebel Wilson's sisters Liberty and Ryot appeared on the first season of The Amazing Race Australia, being the first team eliminated.

2011: Filming 'A Few Best Men' and 'Small Apartments'

In early 2011, Rebel Wilson filmed A Few Best Men at Fox Studios Australia and also filmed a role in Small Apartments. She was named one of Variety magazine's "Top Ten Comics to Watch for 2011".

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January 2012: Weight Loss Announcement

In January 2012, Rebel Wilson told The Daily Telegraph that she had lost 10 kilograms (22 lb) since signing up to the Jenny Craig program.

January 2012: Announcement of 'Super Fun Night'

In January 2012, it was announced that Rebel Wilson would be writing and starring in Super Fun Night, a comedy about three friends.

September 2012: Living together with Matt Lucas

From September 2012 until 2015, Rebel Wilson and her Bridesmaids co-star, British actor Matt Lucas, lived together in West Hollywood.

2012: Appearances in Multiple Films

In 2012, Rebel Wilson appeared in the comedy films What to Expect When You're Expecting, Struck by Lightning, and Bachelorette. She also gained recognition for her role in the film Pitch Perfect.

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2012: Role in 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'

In 2012, Rebel Wilson had a role in the ensemble comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting, as Janice, and co-starred in the indie film Struck By Lightning.

2012: Voice Role in 'Ice Age' and 'Pitch Perfect'

In 2012, Rebel Wilson voiced a character in Ice Age: Continental Drift and played Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect, receiving critical acclaim and award nominations.

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February 2013: End of Agreement with Jenny Craig

In February 2013, Rebel Wilson confirmed that she had ended her agreement with Jenny Craig the previous year.

April 2013: Hosting the MTV Movie Awards

Rebel Wilson hosted the 2013 MTV Movie Awards on 14 April 2013.

October 2013: 'Super Fun Night' Broadcasting

In October 2013, the series Super Fun Night, which Rebel Wilson wrote and starred in, began broadcasting on ABC, but was later canceled after one season.

2013: Creation of 'Fat Mandi' T-shirt Collection

In 2013, Rebel Wilson created a plus-size T-shirt collection named after her Fat Mandi character, featuring images of donuts and cupcakes.

2013: Writing and Starring in 'Super Fun Night'

In 2013, Rebel Wilson wrote and starred in Super Fun Night, a television sitcom that aired for one season on ABC.

2013: Use of Fat Jokes

In a 2013 interview with Hunger Magazine, Rebel Wilson stated that she would continue to make fat jokes as long as she looked the way she did, as comedians use their physicality for humor.

2013: Teen Choice Awards win for Pitch Perfect

Rebel Wilson won the Choice Movie Actress: Comedy award for Pitch Perfect at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards.

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March 2014: Voice of Dish Network's Hopper DVR

In March 2014, Rebel Wilson was the voice of the animated kangaroo in Dish Network's marketing campaign for its Hopper DVR.

2014: Purchase of Sydney Harbourside Home

In 2014, Rebel Wilson purchased her Sydney harbourside home for $3.75 million and underwent renovations.

May 2015: Woman's Day Article Controversy

In May 2015, Woman's Day magazine published a story claiming Rebel Wilson had been misleading about her birth name, age, and upbringing, leading to widespread media coverage and scrutiny.

July 2015: Support for Stricter Gun Laws

In July 2015, Rebel Wilson voiced her support for stricter American gun laws following the 2015 Lafayette shooting, referencing Australia's example.

September 2015: Replacement in 'Kung Fu Panda 3'

In September 2015, Rebel Wilson was replaced with Kate Hudson in the voice cast for Kung Fu Panda 3.

2015: Purchase of Balmain Investment Apartment

In 2015, Rebel Wilson settled on a Balmain investment apartment for $1.88 million off the plan.

2015: End of cohabitation with Matt Lucas

Rebel Wilson and her Bridesmaids co-star, British actor Matt Lucas, lived together in West Hollywood from September 2012 until 2015.

February 2016: Appearance in 'How to Be Single' and Presenting at BAFTA

In February 2016, Rebel Wilson appeared in the ensemble comedy How to Be Single and presented the nominations for the Best Supporting Actor category at the 69th British Academy Film Awards.

May 2016: Defamation Writ Filed

On 16 May 2016, Rebel Wilson said articles in Woman's Day, the Australian Women's Weekly, NW and OK! magazines made her out to be a serial liar and filed a defamation writ in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

June 2016: Appearance as Ursula in 'The Little Mermaid'

In June 2016, Rebel Wilson appeared as Ursula in an all-star concert version of The Little Mermaid at the Hollywood Bowl.

August 2016: West End Debut in 'Guys and Dolls'

From 28 June to 21 August 2016, Rebel Wilson made her West End debut in the musical Guys and Dolls, receiving positive reviews.

2016: Career Impact of Controversy

Following the controversy with Woman's Day in 2015, Rebel Wilson stated she "missed out on movie roles during 2015 and 2016" and was "sacked from two DreamWorks animations".

2016: Comment on Bigger Girls in Comedy

In 2016, Rebel Wilson said that she felt bigger girls did better in comedy because they are easier to laugh at and used that to her advantage.

June 2017: Charitable Intentions

In June 2017, Rebel Wilson tweeted that any dollars she received from the defamation case would go to charity, scholarships or invested into the Aussie film industry.

June 2017: Defamation Case Victory

On 15 June 2017, a jury ruled in Rebel Wilson's favor in her defamation case, finding that Bauer Media Group wrongly painted her as a serial liar, likely causing harm to her career.

September 2017: Awarded Damages in Defamation Case

On 13 September 2017, Rebel Wilson was awarded A$4,500,000 in damages for her defamation case against Bauer Media, which was a record verdict for defamation cases in Australia. Wilson stated she will donate any dollars received to charity or invest in the Aussie film industry.

2017: Pitch Perfect Film Series

From 2012 to 2017, Rebel Wilson gained wider recognition for her role in the musical comedy Pitch Perfect film series.

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2017: Launch of 'Rebel Wilson x Angels' Clothing Range

In 2017, Rebel Wilson launched a plus-sized clothing range called Rebel Wilson x Angels, following a collaboration with Torrid.

2017: Reprising Role in 'Pitch Perfect 3'

In 2017, Rebel Wilson reprised her role in Pitch Perfect 3.

May 2018: Appearance in 'Beauty and the Beast: Live in Concert'

In May 2018, Rebel Wilson played LeFou in a production of Beauty and the Beast: Live in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl. She also appeared on the cover of Vogue Australia for the first time.

June 2018: Bauer Media Wins Appeal

On 14 June 2018, Bauer Media won its appeal against the damages awarded to Rebel Wilson, reducing the damages to $600,000 and requiring Wilson to pay back A$4.1m plus interest and cover 80% of Bauer's appeal costs.

July 2018: Appeal Lodged with the High Court

In July 2018, Rebel Wilson announced her intention to appeal against the decision of Bauer Media winning the appeal and lodged an appeal with the High Court on 11 July 2018.

November 2018: High Court Refuses Appeal Application

On 16 November 2018, the High Court refused Rebel Wilson's application to appeal against the reduced damages in the Bauer Media defamation case.

2019: Starring in 'Isn't It Romantic' and 'The Hustle'

In 2019, Rebel Wilson starred in the comedies Isn't It Romantic and The Hustle, and played roles in Les Norton, Jojo Rabbit, and Cats.

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November 2020: "Year of health" success

By November 2020, Rebel Wilson achieved her mission to lose 60 pounds (27 kg) during her 2020 "year of health" and stated that she felt "super confident".

May 2022: Release of 'Senior Year'

In May 2022, the Netflix comedy film Senior Year, starring Rebel Wilson, was released. Wilson also plays the main character in The Almond and the Seahorse.

June 2022: Public Coming Out and Relationship Reveal

In June 2022, Rebel Wilson publicly came out on Instagram, revealing her same-sex relationship with Ramona Agruma, stating she found her "Disney Princess".

November 2022: Birth of First Child

In November 2022, Rebel Wilson announced the birth of her first child, a daughter born via surrogacy, on Instagram.

2022: Starring in and Producing 'Senior Year'

In 2022, Rebel Wilson starred in and produced the Netflix comedy film Senior Year.

February 2023: Engagement Confirmation

On February 19, 2023, Rebel Wilson confirmed her engagement to Ramona Agruma in a tweet.

September 2023: Production Begins for 'The Deb'

In September 2023, production began for The Deb, a musical comedy film set in the Australian outback, which marks Rebel Wilson's directorial debut.

April 2024: Publication of "Rebel Rising" and Controversy

In April 2024, Rebel Wilson's memoir, "Rebel Rising", was published, drawing attention for her recounting of discomfort on the set of "The Brothers Grimsby", leading to redactions in the UK edition due to legal concerns.