There’s something deeply fitting about Rebel Wilson making her directorial debut with a musical. Joyous, scrappy, and unmistakably Australian, The Deb feels like a love letter to the kind of films that shaped her – the bold, eccentric classics like Muriel’s Wedding, Strictly Ballroom, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert that didn’t just entertain, but reflected Australian identity back to itself with humour and heart.
Set in a small country town, The Deb follows two teenage cousins navigating self-acceptance, social pressure, and the looming chaos of a debutante ball – all wrapped in an original musical comedy bursting with energy and irreverence. It’s a film that wears its specificity proudly, yet, as Wilson discovered at its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, its themes and humour travel effortlessly. International audiences didn’t just understand it – they embraced it, mid-song applause and all.
For Wilson, the project has been a years-long labour of love, born out of her time at the Australian Theatre for Young People and driven by a desire to create something uplifting in an often heavy world. Wearing multiple hats as writer, director, and co-star, she’s crafted a film that mirrors her own teenage experience – one where musicals offered an escape, a sense of belonging, and ultimately, a spark of self-belief.
When our Peter Gray spoke with Wilson, fresh off that euphoric TIFF reception and on the cusp of the film’s Australian release, it was clear The Deb isn’t just a debut – it’s a statement.
I’m very excited to chat with you about The Deb. I was there in Toronto in 2024 at the screening of the film.
No way!
It was a non-negotiable title for me that year. If I was flying all the way there, I was supporting Australian cinema.
That was outrageous! I think we had 50,000 people see it in 24 hours across the screenings. And we got the big gala premiere, we got standing ovations with some of the songs, like mid film. So, the reception couldn’t have been better. And the new movie I’ve just directed, I want to submit it for Toronto as well, because it was such a good experience going out. Oh, that’s so cool.
I love movies, so when I was there I went to see all these other movies, as well, like Better Man. Blown away by how good all the movies were.
I pretty much fly there every September now. It’s such an incredible festival, and the reception in that room…obviously the Australians there responded well, but the international audiences got it. Sometimes with an Australian film you never know…
It is so uniquely Australian, and I was like, “Are they gonna get it?” And they did get it! They laughed so much, and I think the music is very universal, so that will help it with an American and Canadian audience. But it is so Australian. That’s why I’m pumped it’s coming out in cinemas now, in Australia, because I made this for Australian audiences. When I was 15, my mum would take me to the cinema, or the local RSL would have a screen up, and I saw these movies like Muriel’s Wedding, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Strictly Ballroom. Not only are these movies fun, but I was seeing myself. I could see Australians up there, so with The Deb, I wanted to create my version of that.
Those movies are such classics, and they’re like 30 years old now, and there hasn’t been a lot of movies that have emulated that, but Australians are so good at that kind of stuff. It’ll be interesting to see how The Deb does and if it’ll translate overseas.
It must have been quite a moment for you loving Strictly Ballroom and then getting Tara Morice to star in your film…
That’s exactly what happened. I’m obsessed with Strictly Ballroom, and Tara Morice was in the workshop we did at the Australian Theatre for Young People as that character. I was like, “Well, obviously she’s got to be in the movie.” Yes, for nostalgia reasons alone, and she’s just a brilliant talent. She’s so sweet and so lovely, and just so gifted.
And looking at your directing style. You’ve worked with so many incredible directors. Was there anybody you took anything from – whether it was inspiration or something that you were going to consciously avoid?
(Laughs) Well, I’ve worked on a lot of movies. In comedy, especially, you sometimes don’t even get directed. They’re doing other things. I’ve worked with some amazing ones. I know people bag Cats, but Tom Hooper was an amazing director. I’ve been lucky to have been around people I really like. For example, Baz Luhrmann has been so supportive. I met him when Moulin Rouge was coming out, because he also went to the Australian Theatre for Young People, and he signed a DVD for me. I was such a fan girl. For me, his early movies – like Strictly Ballroom, Romeo & Juliet, and Moulin Rouge – they’re just like…I don’t know. I don’t think I’ll ever be as stylish as Baz. I’m more of a feral person (laughs). I just don’t have that style. But his movies were so colourful and vibrant and awesome.
I really wanted to emulate that a little bit. I’m a real fan of his work, and I wanted to do something similar. I’ve been lucky to meet P.J. Hogan, who did Muriel’s Wedding, and I worked with Stephan Elliott, who did Priscilla. We did a movie called A Few Best Men. He’s such a crack up. I remember P.J. told me this story that he made Muriel’s Wedding as a way to cheer up his sisters. I think with me, I spent so many years making The Deb, and coming to Australia and not doing stuff overseas for all that time, because if it cheers up my sisters for a little bit – then that’s all worth it.
If I can create something that might inspire them…and I love that The Deb has this joyful ending and a joyful message.
With this film, you’re acting as well. Does directing feel like something you want to balance with acting? Or are you sort of already thinking about building a slate as a filmmaker?
So what was interesting, I had to be in The Deb in order to get the money. I had to be in it. There are not people lining up to make an original Australian musical comedy, you know? What one has worked recently? I couldn’t tell you. Maybe there’s one? But I just don’t know about it. People aren’t lining up to make these movies. This came because I developed it at the Australian Theatre for Young People. I was really passionate about it, and people said if I was in it, they’ll give me the money. So, I was like, “Okay, I’ll be in it.” It really wasn’t the plan.
It’s hard to be doing a job directing that I had no experience in. Also, being in front of the camera at times. The second movie I’ve written and directed called Girl Group, I’m actually the lead role in it (laughs), which, again, wasn’t supposed to happen. It’s just because I’d written it. They were like, “Well, that character is you. So you kinda have to be in it. We’ll give you the money if you’re in it as well.” I felt very Ben Affleck about the whole situation. How does he do it? It’s quite challenging to be in front and behind (the camera).
I would like to direct something that I’m not in. But I think these movies would have to be successful, in some respects, in order to have that happen. But I do love it, even though it takes you out of being an actress for a huge chunk of time. I’ve been in post-production on Girl Group, and still got a couple months work on that to do. You can’t do anything else while you’re doing that. But I love it, because you get to put your heart and soul into these things and create something that you really want to create. That’s the novelty.
I was going to ask you about Girl Group. Your feeding the gays! You have Nicole Scherzinger, Melanie C, Shaznay Lewis…it’s this pop fantasy! Were you internally screaming, like, “I can’t believe this is my job right now?”
I honestly can’t! As somebody who loves the Spice Girls so much that I wore out their cassette…I felt like I was in the Spice Girls (laughs). We do a performance at Wembley Stadium, well it’s a set, but it’s as if it’s Wembley Stadium. I literally felt like I was in the Spice Girls. I’m looking around at Mel C, who couldn’t be nicer, and we have two Pussycat Dolls – Ashley Roberts and Scherzy – and Shaznay Lewis from All Saints, and then Sheridan Smith, who’s this brilliant all around performer, and she’s huge in the UK. Also weirdly looks a bit like Geri Halliwell in the movie.
We formed this super group, and it was just epic. We created original songs for the group, and they are very Spice Girls-esque. Those girls…it was just epic. But the storyline is that I coached this teenage group to become a girl group, and wait till you see the young girls! We haven’t promoted them as much yet, but they’re so talented. But it was great to have those heavyweights. Weirdly, I feel a little responsible for the Pussycat Dolls being back (together), having Nicole and Ashley reunited on my set.
As you said, The Deb is a joyful watch. These musical numbers are so elaborate and choreographed so beautifully. For a directorial debut, it feels like a very seasoned director. Like, “Oh, yeah, this is Rebel’s fifth movie.” And it was such an experience on the big screen.
Thank you so much for saying that, because The Deb was my first time. I think I’ve improved for Girl Group, but it really was my first time doing that, and I was so proud of how it came out. And that really is because of the whole team. I mean, Ross Emery, who was our Director of Photography, made it look beautiful, and Rob Ashford, who led the choreography team, who’s Tony Award winning, and Sam Hobbs, who did the production design, like everyone came together in a way to make this. It’s not a huge budget. It’s difficult to do a musical than a straight drama. I was happy.
We had limited dancers on days, and things like that. I had to be creative about how I spent the money and maximise it. Often on movie musicals you have hundreds of dancers. Some days, I had twelve. You really have to make the most of it. So I feel like I did that with the opportunity. It was just so, so fun to do.
It was confident in your direction, and I was so happy I could see it the way I did, and now it’s put there and I really hope everybody gets behind it. We need these kind of movies in the world to feel happy. The Australian musical is not something we see a lot of. So, thank you for the film and for chatting with me today.
Thank you so much. Thanks, Peter. When I was 13, 14, and I was just in a dark place. I was the most unpopular. I had a snaggletooth (laughs), I was just so feral. I didn’t think I could be anyone or anything. And then I found musicals, and really through an odd way, because my mum, we had dogs and my mum’s dog had auditioned for this musical, and we only went to see it just to see the dog, and it was like, “Holy crap, here’s this art from that’s so joyous.” It made me so happy.
I don’t know whether it was hormonal, I had stuff going on in my life that I felt so rubbish, and then I see this musical, and it was so cool. That’s what I wanted to give audiences with The Deb, because there’s so much going on, so many people struggling out there, and it’s nice to have a joyous movie. It’s impossible to make these (movies). It really is. I had to spend years – five years – on getting it made, and I’m proud that I did that. I hope audiences go see it. I think the story will resonate with people.
The Deb is screening in Australian theatres from April 9th, 2026.
