Hollywood actress Rebel Wilson has accused Australian media outlets of "collusion" and twisting "a very simple story" after they applied to join a magazine publisher in appealing against her record defamation payout.

Wilson was last year awarded more than $4.5 million in damages over a series of defamatory articles in Woman's Day, Women's Weekly, OK Magazine and New Weekly in 2015.

The articles wrongly claimed Wilson publicly lied about her age, real name and upbringing and were found to have damaged her career.

Bauer Media is appealing against the record damages bill it was ordered to pay Wilson, in a case due to be heard in the Victorian Court of Appeal next month.

A number of media organisations — including Fairfax, News Corp and the ABC — have lodged an application to intervene in the appeal alongside Bauer Media which is fighting to have the damage bill reduced.

It is understood lawyers representing the media outlets will argue the trial judge was wrong to award Wilson a sum higher than the maximum amount set for damages for non-economic loss in defamation cases in Victoria.

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She has taken to social media to vent her frustration after a number of outlets yesterday reported she was seeking Bauer Media pay $1.3 million in legal costs she incurred after they rejected her offer to settle for $200,000.

"If there are ANY decent journalists in Australia, I'd love to see you writing a story about how a trashy tabloid company owned by German billionaires, proven guilty of malicious defamation, suddenly needs the help of every other major media organization in Australia?" she posted on Twitter.

"What reputable Australian journalist or media organization, (*cough* hello, ABC who is funded by taxpayers *cough*) would stand with 'journalists' who have been proven guilty of making up rubbish stories and printing them knowing they are fake, all in the name of corporate greed.

"There is clear media collusion and they are now twisting what was a very simple story," Wilson wrote.

ABC denies 'collusion'

In a statement, a spokesperson for the ABC said it was not colluding with Bauer Media.

"We have joined with other media organisations in making a separate application to the court on a different question of law," it said.

"Our application concerns the statutory cap on damages. This is an important issue affecting all Australian media organisations."

Media lawyer Justin Quill is representing the media organisations in their bid to make submissions at the appeal hearing.

He said the legal action was not personal.

"This is about the media challenging a minor but extremely important legal precedent about whether the cap on damages applies," he said.

"This dangerous precedent affects about 90 per cent of every defamation case brought in Australia."

But Wilson said the media should be focusing on the "real story" — that she had won a "very public" defamation case against Bauer Media and was awarded a record damages payout which she is planning to donate to charity.

"For me, this case was never about the money," she tweeted.

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"It was about restoring my reputation and my career, something I am working tirelessly to rebuild after the significant setbacks Bauer Media caused me by their negative, defamatory articles back in May 2015.

"They have employed a PR firm and are colluding with every major Australian media organization (except for Ch 10 *smile face*) on misreporting and spinning their brute behavior (sic)," Wilson posted.

Wilson said the upcoming appeal was about Bauer Media trying to reduce its damages bill, not "Rebel Wilson v's The Whole Australian Media".

"This whole ordeal is an awful thing to have gone through and to continually face."

"I am trying to be tough. I just want to be able to give my winnings away and create positive stories from something very negative that has happened to me."

The hearing is expected to begin in the Court of Appeal on April 18.