Rebel Wilson wins record £2.75 million in damages over magazine articles

Rebel Wilson has been awarded a record-breaking $4.6m (£2.7m) in damages from Bauer Media over articles she claims cost her film roles.

The pay-out is thought to be the highest ever awarded for a defamation case in Australian court, based on roles and earnings lost by the Australian actress and comedian.

A jury in Victoria decided that articles published in Bauer’s magazines claiming she lied about her age, origins of her first name and her upbringing in Sydney were defamatory.

Wilson testified in a number of court appearances, claiming that she had been sacked from Dream Works productions Trolls and Kung Fu Panda 3 as a result of the articles.

A series of pieces appeared in publications Women's Day Australia, Australian Women's Weekly, NW and OK Magazine in 2015.

On Wednesday Justice John Dixon said that a substantial award amount was required to "vindicate" Wilson after her reputation as an "actress of integrity was wrongly damaged".

Bauer Media is publisher of the Australian magazines Woman's Day, Australian Women's Weekly, NW and OK. Bauer said it was considering the judgment.

Following the ruling, Wilson wrote on Twitter: “Am going through the full judgement in my defamation case with my lawyers and will make a statement later in the day. It's 3am here in [UK].

Wilson had previously said that she will donate the money won in the case to charity or to the Australian film industry.