--- description: After much controversy, Rebel Wilson's age has been confirmed to be 35. The Pitch Perfect 2 actress became the center of a media firestorm earlier... title: Rebel Wilson's Real Age Is 35, Records Confirm image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec41cd0b7611b4e7/69885119524fc000a3df2c03/471438238.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [celebrities](/tag/celebrities/) ## celebrities Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Rebel Wilson's Real Age Is 35, Records Confirm by [Tara Fowler / People](/author/people/) ## Tara Fowler / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 21, 2015 5:26 AM CUT  Rebel Wilson arrives to the Pitch Perfect 2 Paris premiere at UGC Cine Cite in Paris on April 28, 2015 Rebel Wilson arrives to the Pitch Perfect 2 Paris premiere at UGC Cine Cite in Paris on April 28, 2015Kristy Sparow—Getty Images by [Tara Fowler / People](/author/people/) ## Tara Fowler / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 21, 2015 5:26 AM CUT After much controversy, [Rebel Wilson’s](http://www.people.com/people/news/category/0,,personsTax:RebelWilson,00.html "undefined") age has been confirmed to be 35. The _Pitch Perfect 2_ actress became the center of a media firestorm earlier this week after an [Australian tabloid](http://www.womansday.com.au/celebrity/australian-celebrities/will-the-real-rebel-wilson-please-stand-up-12574 "undefined") published a report that Wilson had taken liberties with her age – and more, including her name and where she grew up. Business records filed with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission show that Wilson, who has previously said she was 29, was in fact born on March 2, 1980, making her 35 years old, according to the [_Sydney Morning Herald_](http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/ls-celebrity-news/rebel-wilsons-birth-date-revealed-in-asic-documents-20150519-gh5caq.html "undefined"). Wilson also fudged the truth about her name. The Australian Electoral Roll lists her real name as Melanie Elizabeth Bownds, though she later changed her last name to Wilson, as has been previously reported. Last year, however, she told [_The Australian Women’s Weekly_](http://www.aww.com.au/latest-news/celebrity/so-did-rebel-wilson-really-lie-about-her-name-and-age-20667 "undefined") that her real name was in fact Rebel, and that Melanie and Elizabeth were middle names she went by at school to avoid being teased. Wilson’s colorful backstory is where things get a bit murkier. She has said that her parents gave all their children eccentric names; and indeed, records show that her brother is named Ryot, while her sisters are named Liberty (a.k.a. Libby) and Annachi (Anna). The actress has also spoken of growing up as the child of professional dog breeders. This, too, has been confirmed: Wilson’s mother, Sue Bownds, is a fourth-generation breeder who has been judging dog shows for more than 30 years and has bred and exhibited many Best in Show winners. Together with her daughter Libby, Sue runs a small kennel in Sydney called Nangunyah. The kennel, which specializes in beagles, has bred more than 75 champions. As for Wilson’s upbringing, she told [Ellen DeGeneres](http://www.people.com/people/ellen%5Fdegeneres "undefined") in 2013 that she grew up in “the ghetto.” Records show that she attended the upper-crust Tara Anglican School and lived in the comfortable Castle Hill area from 2000 to 2003\. Her parents are listed as living at this address from 1995 to 2005. Wilson [responded](http://www.people.com/article/rebel-wilson-fires-back-real-age "undefined") to the age controversy on Monday with a tongue-in-cheek Tweet, writing that she’s actually a 100-year-old mermaid. — _With reporting by Emma Martin_ [_This article originally appeared on PEOPLE.com_](http://www.people.com/article/rebel-wilson-age-name-melanie-elizabeth-bownds "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3891938/rebel-wilson-age-pitch-perfect-australia-ellen-degeneres/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3891938/rebel-wilson-age-pitch-perfect-australia-ellen-degeneres/"},"headline":"Rebel Wilson's Real Age Is 35, Records Confirm","datePublished":"2015-05-21T05:26:04.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T07:30:49.873Z","description":"After much controversy, Rebel Wilson's age has been confirmed to be 35. 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