Rebel Wilson used coffin note to thank physically abusive dad for fuelling her creativity
Opening up about their turbulent relationship in her upcoming memoir, Rebel Wilson has revealed she thanked her physically abusive dad for fuelling her creativity and “darkness” in a note she left in his coffin.
Rebel Wilson thanked her physically abusive dad for fuelling her creativity and “darkness” in a note she left in his coffin.
The ‘Pitch Perfect’ actress, 44, had a rocky relationship with her dog handler father Warwick, who died in 2013 aged 62 from a heart attack, but she has now said she tried to make peace with it by writing him a tribute note when he passed away.
She says in her upcoming autobiography ‘Rebel Rising: A Memoir’ the message said: “To dear Dad. I’ve said a lot that you were never really part of my acting career, but on reflection, you were and are.
“There’s a cheekiness, a dodginess and entrepreneurial-ness, a darkness, a creative-ness, a bravado-ness that comes from you and your side of the family.
“I thank you greatly for that. I’m sure you didn’t mean to bring so much pain to Mum and us kids. You didn’t mean to lose your temper and do spiteful and hateful things.
“I want you to know that I forgive you. I will strive to find love, I will no longer be afraid of it.
“Your daughter, Rebel xoxo.”
The note was revealed in an extract from Rebel’s book run by People, which also interviewed her about her turbulent relationship with her dad.
She said about now being able to open up about their troubles: “At one part, it is easier because he’s passed away. And I wonder whether I would’ve had the courage to do it if he was still here... (so) it’s a little bit easier, I guess, in that respect that he’s not.
“But that is also something that I've never spoken about before, and it is cathartic, I think, to write about it.”
Rebel said she and Warwick did not have a “black and white” relationship, adding: “There were all these other things – the sadness that I felt when he did pass away so suddenly, and how tragic that was, and how I have regrets.
“It surprised me by writing (my book), sometimes, the empathy I felt towards him and thinking about his life and his struggles.”
She said about the physical abuse she endured at Warwick’s hands: “I think it probably led to not having good self-worth, and also thinking you had to be good all the time, being a good girl and not being naughty.
“I was not naughty in any way because I think I was fearful.”
