Main content

Rebel Wilson, actor

Rebel Wilson, actor, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.

The Australian actor Rebel Wilson became an international star with a breakthrough part in the 2011 Hollywood comedy Bridesmaids, opposite Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy. She followed this up playing Fat Amy in the highly successful Pitch Perfect trilogy, which documents the fortunes of a female college acapella group.

Rebel was born in Balmain, a suburb of Sydney. Her parents bred and showed dogs, in particular beagles, and her first brush with showbusiness came when she visited television studios to watch the dogs perform in popular shows. The dogs were so successful they even had their own agents.

She studied for a combined arts and law degree and then joined the Australian Theatre for Young People. At the age of 29 she sold everything she had and left Sydney to try her luck in Hollywood where she slept on a friend’s sofa for the first few months. She gave herself a year to make it and Bridesmaids came at just the right time – she never looked back.

Rebel recently made her debut as a director with the Deb, a musical set in Australia.

DISC ONE: Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
DISC TWO: Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston
DISC THREE: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - Monty Python
DISC FOUR: I Missed the Bus - Kris Kross
DISC FIVE: We Belong - Pat Benatar
DISC SIX: Let Me Entertain You - Robbie Williams
DISC SEVEN: Can You Feel the Love Tonight? - Elton John
DISC EIGHT: Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles

BOOK CHOICE: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
LUXURY ITEM: A bath tub and bath salts
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - Monty Python

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley

Available now

59 minutes

Last on

Fri 7 Jun 2024 09:00

Music Played

  • Bruno Mars

    Just The Way You Are

    • Elektra (NEK).
    • 1.
  • Whitney Houston

    Greatest Love Of All

    • Whitney The Greatest Hits.
    • Arista/Legacy.
    • 3.
  • Monty Python

    Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

    • The Ultimate Monty Python Rip Off.
    • Charisma Catalogue.
    • 28.
  • Kris Kross

    I Missed the Bus

    • Totally Krossed Out.
    • Ruffhouse/Columbia.
    • 12.
  • Pat Benatar

    We Belong

    • Ultimate Collection.
    • Capitol Records.
    • 2.
  • Robbie Williams

    Let Me Entertain You

    • Life Thru A Lens.
    • Universal-Island Records Ltd..
    • 2.
  • Elton John

    Can You Feel The Love Tonight

    • Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: The Lion King.
    • Walt Disney Records.
    • 12.
  • The Beatles

    Here Comes The Sun

    • At ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ With The Beatles.
    • UME - Global Clearing House.
    • 7.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 2 Jun 2024 10:00
  • Fri 7 Jun 2024 09:00

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast