Australian Hollywood star Rebel Wilson has described herself "endearingly" as a "bogan", while speaking of growing up as a junior dog handler and a hallucination which sparked her acting career, as she gives evidence for the first time in her defamation trial against a magazine publisher.

Wilson is suing Bauer Media for publishing a series of articles in magazines, including Woman's Day, in 2015, which claimed she had lied publicly about her age, real name and upbringing.

The 37-year-old actress and comedian claims the articles caused her to be fired from the movies Trolls and Kung Fu Panda 3, and left her unable to secure future roles.

Wilson has taken the stand in the Supreme Court in Melbourne to give evidence about her "bogan" upbringing in Sydney's north-west and the devastating impact of the articles.

"The reason why I'm here is to stand up for myself and stand up for my family who've been harassed," she told the jury.

"These articles were a malicious, deliberate take-down of me."

Wilson initially became upset while talking about the impact of the articles, but began cracking jokes as she told stories about her upbringing, including as a junior dog handler.

The jury was told the actress's family had travelled to dog shows on weekends, taking their yellow caravan, which they would sell pet products from.

"My mum's obsessed with dogs," Wilson said.

"The main decorating my Mum would have is all the dog show ribbons."

The court was shown pictures of a young Rebel Wilson training dogs. ( Supplied: Victorian Supreme Court )

Wilson told the court the obsession led her to become a junior dog handler, with the highlight of her career being selected for the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

The jury was shown photos of Wilson's childhood homes, the dog caravan for her parent's "Petcetera Etcetera" business, school class photos and a shot of her Cabbage Patch doll "Nathan".

"I never expected to be in a court case having to prove every aspect of my life," she said.

Wilson told the jury she considered herself a bogan, before being asked to describe the meaning of the word by her barrister.

"There's many aspects to being a bogan," she said.

Rebel Wilson said she travelled to dog shows on weekends as a child. ( Supplied: Victorian Supreme Court )

"I kind of use it very endearingly.

"Right now I'd be a cashed-up bogan."

Rebel Wilson legally changed her name

The jury was told Wilson's real name was Melanie Elizabeth Bownds, but her mother had always wanted to name her Rebel, after a six-year-old who had sung at her parents' wedding.

The actress said she was nicknamed Rebel and in 2002 decided to legally change her name to Rebel Elizabeth Melanie Wilson, taking her mother's maiden name after her parents separated.

Rebel Wilson told the jury she contracted malaria while in South Africa. ( Supplied: Victorian Supreme Court )

After finishing high school, Wilson took a gap year in South Africa, where she claims to have contracted malaria, a story which the magazine articles cast doubt on.

"To me [malaria] felt like some kind of voodoo disease where I didn't feel like I was in my body," she told the court.

Wilson told the jury she was on powerful drugs and had a premonition while in hospital.

"The hallucination I had was that I was an actress in America at the Academy Awards and I won," she told the court.

Wilson returned to Australia and decided to become an actress after finishing an arts-law degree at the University of New South Wales.

The actress is expected to continue giving evidence for several days.