Rebel Wilson was born in Sydney, Australia. According to Biography, her parents were "professional dog handlers," which means her childhood was unique, to say the least, as her family traveled the country selling dog products, attending shows, and breeding beagles (via Herald Sun). "I was forced to be a junior handler, which is kind of like Toddlers & Tiaras 'cause you are dressed up in little outfits, and you run around with the dogs," Wilson told Collider in 2012. Per Herald Sun, her mother still breeds "one or two litters a year" and works as "an international dog-show judge." Wilson's only connection to show biz was her great aunt, Lillian Bounds, who was married to Walt Disney, though she's quick to clarify that her family is "not in line for any royalties."
Though she's been known by Rebel Wilson professionally and personally for years, her given name was technically Melanie Elizabeth Bownds until 2002 when she changed it. According to The Guardian, her mother had originally wanted to name her Rebel but succumbed to family pressures to give her daughter a "suitable name." She grew up with three equally eclectically named siblings: Annaleise (affectionately called Annarchi), Liberty, and Ryot, the latter two of whom appeared on The Amazing Race Australia in 2011 and finished last place.
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