Yael Stone confirmed as ‘Witness X’

Actress Yael Stone (Picnic at Hanging Rock, Orange is the New Black, Deep Water) has been confirmed as the unnamed “Witness X” in the Geoffrey Rush defamation suit.

Her identity was kept under suppression by the court during the trial involving Nationwide News.

The Daily Telegraph had wanted to admit evidence last November but Justice Michael Wigney rejected it because of the delay it would cause.

While allegations remain suppressed Stone gave an interview to The New York Times and ABC’s 7:30 in December. Rush denied any harassment at the time but apologised if he had caused her distress.

Today the Supreme Court began to hear arguments around the settlement figure for lost earnings.

Rush’s lawyers accused the Telegraph of engaging in a “campaign” against the court and “attacking the vindication” of the actor after his defamation win against the newspaper last month.

Rush’s barrister, Sue Chrysanthou, accused the newspaper of engaging in a “campaign against, with respect, the court, but with the effect of attacking the vindication my client received a month ago” since the judgement.

Nationwide News is appealing the defamation verdict on 16 grounds Justice Wigney was biased, one of those includes that Yael Stone’s evidence could not be admitted. Today it also indicated that it will ask Justice Wigney step down from hearing the outstanding issues.

An application for a permanent injunction will be heard on May 20.

Source: The Guardian, Daily Telegraph