‘Thought it would be the Lion King’: Rebel Wilson dragged over SA comments [video]
South Africans are unimpressed with actress Rebel Wilson’s comments about the country in a recent interview.
The Australian comedian has been on an international book tour following the release of her 2024 autobiography Rebel Rising.
In it, the Pitch Perfect star documented a year of her life she spent living in Johannesburg.
REBEL WILSON’S COMMENTS ANGER SOUTH AFRICANS
Speaking to This Morning, Rebel Wilson talked about her book Rebel Rising, which has featured several bombshells about her personal and professional life.
In the book, the 44-year-old reflected on her unconventional introduction to the entertainment industry, which surprisingly began after a short stint in South Africa.
In 2000, Rebel spent a year of her life living and traveling in Africa as part of her work as a former Rotary International youth ambassador for Australia.
Describing Johannesburg as “full of beauty and majestic,” Rebel quickly added that it was “very dangerous.”
She said in her interview: “I felt it was going to be like the Lion King. Turns out, it was nothing like it at all”.
“One time, I climbed a mountain, and then I saw wild baboons at the top of the mountain as the sun was rising.”
She continued: “Johannesburg, back in the day, was a very dangerous place. I ended up getting up getting malaria and almost dying.”
Rebel Wilson is referring to her experience of surviving a “deadly strain” of malaria, which she has often referred to.
However, in previous interviews, the actress claimed that she actually caught the mosquito-borne disease from “rural Mozambique.” According to Entertainment Weekly, she lay “hovering near death in a Johannesburg hospital.”
Rebel told the publication that during this period, her “hallucinations” of being an Oscar-worthy actress spurred her decision to enter the entertainment industry.
“That changed the whole trajectory of my life,” she told This Morning.
Ever wondered how global superstar Rebel Wilson rose to stardom? After nearly losing her life in South Africa, Rebel describes the moment that changed the whole trajectory of her life.
♬ original sound – This Morning
On social media, South Africans have accused the actress of “lying” about her experience.
@nalesistargurl1: “Rebel, which mountain did you climb in Johannesburg? Which South African did you go to?”
@lollest: “Malaria? In Johannesburg? When was this? Definitely not my country“
@therealthoko: “Was the mountain in Johannesburg part of the hallucinations?”
MASTERING THE AFRIKAANS ACCENT?
Meanwhile, Rebel Wilson claimed she had nailed South Africa’s Afrikaans accent.
This, after her portrayal of Afrikaans criminal Penny Rust in the 2019 comedy film The Hustle.
Listen to a clip below and decide for yourself…
