Rebel Wilson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rebel Wilson
Wilson in 2012
Born	Melanie Elizabeth Bownds (1980-03-02) 2 March 1980 (age 45) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Education	University of New South Wales Australian Theatre for Young People
Occupation	Actress comedian producer
Years active	2002–present
Spouse(s)	Ramona Agruma ​ (m. 2024)​
Children	1

Rebel Melanie Elizabeth Wilson (born Melanie Elizabeth Bownds; 2 March 1980) is a famous Australian actress, comedian, and producer. She is known for her funny roles in movies and TV shows.

After finishing her studies at the Australian Theatre for Young People in 2003, Rebel started acting in the comedy TV show Pizza (2003–2007). She also appeared in the sketch comedy show The Wedge (2006–2007). She even wrote, produced, and starred in her own musical comedy series called Bogan Pride (2008).

Rebel moved to the United States and quickly became popular in comedy films. In 2011, she appeared in Bridesmaids and A Few Best Men. In 2012, she was in movies like What to Expect When You're Expecting and Bachelorette.

She became even more famous for her role as Fat Amy in the Pitch Perfect movie series (2012–2017). She also wrote and starred in the TV show Super Fun Night (2013). In 2019, Rebel had her first main roles in the comedies Isn't It Romantic and The Hustle. She also had a supporting role in the movie Jojo Rabbit. In 2022, she starred in and produced the Netflix comedy film Senior Year.

Early Life and Education

Rebel Wilson was born in Sydney, Australia, on March 2, 1980. Her parents were professional dog handlers. Her mother even judged international dog shows and raised beagles. Rebel grew up in different suburbs of Sydney, including Kenthurst and Castle Hill.

She went to Tara Anglican School for Girls. In 1997, she did very well in her final high school exams. Rebel was part of the debating team, and a teacher encouraged her to join a competition called Tournament of Minds. She says this helped her become more confident. When she was younger, Rebel worked at a cinema, but she quit after people started recognizing her from her first movie, Fat Pizza.

Rebel has three siblings: two sisters named Liberty and Annaleise, and a brother named Ryot. Liberty and Ryot appeared on the first season of The Amazing Race Australia in 2011.

Rebel first thought about becoming a lawyer. She studied at the University of New South Wales and earned degrees in Theatre and Performance Studies and Law. However, she decided against a corporate job and chose to pursue acting in the United States. She was also a youth ambassador for Australia in South Africa for a year. While there, she got malaria. She has said that this experience made her realize she wanted to be an actress.

Career Highlights

Starting Out (2002–2010)

Rebel Wilson studied acting at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP). In 2003, she won a scholarship funded by actress Nicole Kidman and moved to New York. There, she trained with a famous comedy group called The Second City. She also performed in plays and at comedy festivals.

Rebel first became known in Australia for her stage musical The Westie Monologues in 2002, which she wrote, starred in, and produced. She also created other stage shows like Spunks and Confessions of an Exchange Student.

In Australia, many people knew her as Toula from the TV comedy series Pizza. She also played different characters like Lucy and Fat Mandi on the sketch comedy show The Wedge. She appeared in commercials for Telstra and had roles in the movies Fat Pizza and Ghost Rider.

In 2008, Rebel created, wrote, produced, and starred in the musical comedy series Bogan Pride. She also won an award for Best Actress at the Tropfest film festival in 2009 for her role in the film Bargain.

Moving to Hollywood (Since 2010)

Rebel moved to the United States in 2010 to pursue bigger acting roles. She soon got a part in the movie Bridesmaids, where she played Brynn. This role was written especially for her. She also appeared in TV shows like Rules of Engagement and Workaholics.

In 2011, Variety magazine named her one of the "Top Ten Comics to Watch." In 2012, Rebel voiced a character in Ice Age: Continental Drift. She also played the role of Fat Amy in the movie Pitch Perfect. Her performance as Fat Amy was highly praised, and she won several awards, including the MTV Movie Award for Best Actor in a Movie. She also won the Choice Movie Actress: Comedy award at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards.

Wilson in 2019

In 2012, Rebel started writing and starring in a comedy TV show called Super Fun Night. The show was about three friends trying to have fun every Friday night. It aired in 2013 but was canceled after one season. Rebel also hosted the 2013 MTV Movie Awards.

She continued to play Fat Amy in the sequels Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) and Pitch Perfect 3 (2017). In 2016, she appeared in the comedy film How to Be Single and the action comedy Grimsby. Rebel also made her debut in London's West End in the musical Guys and Dolls, where she received good reviews.

In 2019, Rebel starred in two comedies: Isn't It Romantic and The Hustle. She also helped produce both films. Later that year, she appeared in the comedy-drama Jojo Rabbit and the musical film Cats.

Rebel hosted the dog styling competition Pooch Perfect in Australia and the United States. In May 2022, she starred in the Netflix comedy film Senior Year, where she also worked as a producer. Rebel is also making her debut as a director with a musical comedy film called The Deb, which started production in 2023.

Personal Life

In 2013, Rebel Wilson created a line of plus-size T-shirts. In 2017, she launched her own plus-sized clothing brand called Rebel Wilson x Angels.

From 2012 to 2015, Rebel lived with her Bridesmaids co-star, British actor Matt Lucas, in West Hollywood.

In 2015, Rebel spoke about her support for stricter gun laws in America. She mentioned how Australia changed its gun laws after a major event, and that mass shootings became much less common there. She believes people should be safe, especially when doing fun things like going to the movies.

Rebel owns a home in Sydney, Australia, which she bought in 2014. She also has an apartment in Balmain. She is a big fan of the Los Angeles Rams, an American football team.

In November 2022, Rebel announced that she had welcomed her first child, a daughter, through surrogacy. In February 2023, Rebel confirmed her engagement to Ramona Agruma. The couple got married in Italy in September 2024 and again in Australia in December 2024.

Body Image and Health

Rebel Wilson has often spoken about body positivity. She believes that there is a lot of pressure on young women to be thin, and that no one should feel ashamed of their body or be bullied because of their size.

Throughout her career, Rebel has been known for her plus-sized figure. She often used her size in her comedy roles, like her character "Fat Amy." She has said that her acting agency signed her quickly because they didn't have anyone else like her. Rebel felt lucky to have her body type and said that people in the industry told her not to lose weight. She believes it's important to be comfortable in your own skin.

In 2011, Rebel became a spokesperson for a weight loss company called Jenny Craig in Australia. She said she lost some weight while on the program. However, she later ended her agreement with them.

Rebel mentioned that the producers of Pitch Perfect asked her not to lose more weight during filming because of her contract. She said that once her movie commitments were over, she planned to focus on her health goals. In 2020, Rebel focused on her health and lost a significant amount of weight. She stated that she has always been confident in how she looked, but now feels "super confident."

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Games

Stage Performances

Soundtrack Appearances

• Pitch Perfect (2012)
• Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
• Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)
• Isn't It Romantic (2019)
• Cats: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (2019)

Awards and Nominations

• The BBC included her on a list of "100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2021".

See also

In Spanish: Rebel Wilson para niños