Actors Geoffrey Rush and Yael Stone.

Actors Geoffrey Rush and Yael Stone.Credit:Nick Moir,ABC

Nine,which publishes theHerald andThe Age,applied for the non-publication order to be lifted and Mr Rush agreed.

After the conclusion of the trial,Ms StonetoldThe New York Times that Mr Rush danced"totally naked"in front of her in their dressing room in a"playful,clownish manner"and used a mirror to watch her while she showered during the Belvoir St Theatre's 2010-11 season ofThe Diary of A Madman. She repeated those allegations to the ABC's7.30 program.

The 34-year-old actor,who was then 25,also accused Rush of sending her occasionally erotic text messages and touching her back through an open-backed dress"in a very sensual manner"during an awards show.

Ms Stone,who shot to fame playing New Jersey inmate Lorna Morello in the Netflix seriesOrange Is the New Black,told theTimesthat “Geoffrey was working within the boundaries of what he felt was playful"but"the behaviour was very inappropriate at times and did make me feel uncomfortable and compromised". She also told the ABC she declined"an invitation to sexual intimacies"made by Mr Rush during after-work drinks.

Mr Rush vehemently denied the claims andwas successful in his defamation case againstThe Daily Telegraph over allegations he sexually harassed another actor,later revealed to be Eryn Jean Norvill,during the Sydney Theatre Company's 2015-16 production ofKing Lear.

Justice Wigney said allowing Ms Stone to give evidence late in the trial about"entirely new"allegations would have forced Mr Rush to return to the witness box and led to an immediate adjournment of the trial from November 2018 until at least April 2019. The prejudice to Mr Rush was"manifest and palpable",he said.

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Mr Rush has previously said"the allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by Yael Stone are incorrect and in some instances have been taken completely out of context".

"However,clearly Yael has been upset on occasion by the spirited enthusiasm I generally bring to my work,"he said.

Yael Stone and Geoffrey Rush in 2010 during rehearsals for The Diary of a Madman.

Yael Stone and Geoffrey Rush in 2010 during rehearsals for The Diary of a Madman.Credit:Jeff Busby

"I sincerely and deeply regret if I have caused her any distress. This,most certainly,has never been my intention. When we performed inThe Diary Of A Madman ... I believe we engaged in a journey as artistic comrades."

"I abhor any behaviour that might be considered as harassment or intimidation to anyone – whether in the workplace or any other environment,"he said.

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TheTelegraph haslaunched an appeal against Justice Wigney's decision and is seeking a retrial. It claims the trial miscarried because the conduct of the proceedings by Justice Wigney"gave rise to an apprehension of bias".

It does not accuse Justice Wigney of actual bias,but says his conduct created an appearance of bias – including his decision refusing to allow Ms Stone to give evidence.

On Friday,Justice Wigney granted a temporary injunction restraining theTelegraph from publishing allegations at the centre of the case. Mr Rush's barrister,Sue Chrysanthou,said the newspaper had"directly sought to make an attack on the vindication my client achieved".

TheTelegraph agreed to the interim injunction on a"without admissions basis"but will ask Justice Wigney to recuse himself from making a final ruling on the issue when the parties return to court on May 20.

The court has yet to rule on the damages that will be awarded to Mr Rush for loss of future income,which is expected to be in the millions. He has already been awarded $850,000 in general and aggravated damages.

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