There are a lot of reasons people begin a career in show business, but Rebel Wilson’s path was a very unique one. Did you know that a serious illness was what started the Australian actress’ career?

How A Serious Health Scare Led Wilson To Acting

In an episode of the podcast Aussies in Hollywood, Wilson shared that she contracted a serious strain of malaria after visiting Mozambique on a charity trip at the age of 19. Wilson explained that the reason she got sick was that she chose not to take any malaria prophylactics. “[I had heard] they can cause mental problems, so I ended up being the stupid person who got it,” the actress laughed.

While recovering in the hospital, Wilson says she hallucinated and had a vision that would end up changing her life. “I’m just lying there in hospital, can’t really hear, can’t really watch TV and I was just hallucinating on the drugs that I was an actress,” the actress said. 

“[In the hallucination] I was giving an acceptance speech and I gave an acceptance rap, which seems so dorky now,” Wilson shared. “When people have kind of near-death experiences, people can experience certain things that really change the course of their life.”   

Too Good To Be True?

Some thought this story was too good to be true, and Wilson was accused of being a serial liar by the Australian magazine Woman’s Day. The magazine claimed she had lied about her background, upbringing, and age. Wilson admitted she had lied about her age, but sued the magazine for defamation of character and special damages. The actress ended up winning $4.5 million in damages. 

Wilson’s Comedic Career

Whether the story is true or not, the Australian actress has proven her talent. Wilson made her on-screen debut in 2003 in an Australian comedy series, Pizza, and from there, her career took off. The actress rocketed to fame after appearing in Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect, and she’s now one of the most in-demand comedic actresses working today. 

In addition to comedy, Wilson has tried her hand at dramatic roles, like the TV show Les Norton, and musicals, like Cats. However, comedies are still where Wilson shines, and she’s appeared in hits like How to Be Single, Isn’t It Romantic?, and The Hustle.