Rebel Wilson has defended herself against claims she lied about her name and age after a school friend told Woman’s Day the actress is not 29 but closer to 40.

In the article published on Monday, the Pitch Perfect star, who says her age is 29 and real name is Rebel Melanie Elizabeth Wilson, is shown in a 1997 yearbook photo.

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“I studied with Rebel at Tara Anglican School for Girls in North Parramatta, Sydney. No-one knew of a Rebel Wilson,” the source told Woman’s Day.

“Her name is – or was – Melanie Elizabeth Bownds, and she’s 36 – she was born in 1979 and we left school in 1997.

“She was definitely not the class clown; none of us remember her being funny.”

Wilson in the 1997 yearbook photo. Photo: Woman’s Day

Wilson said she became an actress after contracting malaria in South Africa and, while in the throes of the disease, dreamt about seeing herself winning an Oscar.

On Twitter, the comedienne didn’t deny the claims, but accused the Australian media of being “shady” and trying to cut her down.

Mamamia founder Mia Freedman defended her decision to also publish the accusations on her women’s interest site, telling Fairfax the truth about Wilson’s age was an “open secret”.

Freedman said she initially decided to “let it go” because she didn’t want to be seen attacking the comedienne, but changed her mind after Wilson began making comments about older actresses.

Wilson said she was rejected from a remake of Ghostbusters because producers wanted a “older group” of actresses like fellow Australian Rose Byrne who is 35.

“That was absolutely a put down and those women are the same age as her,” Freedman said.

Twitter users have come out in support of the popular Australian export, saying it didn’t matter how old Wilson was.

OMG I’m actually a 100 year old mermaid formerly known as “CC Chalice” ….thanks shady Australian press for your tall poppy syndrome x

— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) May 18, 2015

Okay but all jokes aside now…my real name is Fat Patricia x

— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) May 18, 2015

.@Mamamia here you go pic.twitter.com/kkLPFwIfa3

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) May 18, 2015

just so so so sad that women have to lie about their age isn’t it? anyway, here’s an article exposing a woman for lying about her age

— Rebecca Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) May 18, 2015

Rebel Wilson is actually a 19 year old mermaid named Clover & she wants us all to go live in the sea with her.

— Amie (@amiewordnerd) May 18, 2015

If only @Mamamia & other Aussie outlets had treated Belle Gibson with the same fact-checking suspicion as Rebel Wilson’ s age…

— Katharine Nicholson (@KM_Nicholson) May 18, 2015