'Orange is the New Black' actress Yael Stone accuses Geoffrey Rush of inappropriate behavior

The actress was reluctant to come forward.
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
'Orange is the New Black' actress Yael Stone accuses Geoffrey Rush of inappropriate behavior
'Orange Is The New Black' star Yael Stone accused Geoffrey Rush of inappropriate behavior Credit: Don Arnold/Getty Images for Australian LGBTI Awards

Orange Is The New Black star Yael Stone is the latest person to accuse actor Geoffrey Rush of sexual misconduct.

The allegations came to light in the New York Times, where Stone said Rush sent her "occasionally vulgar" messages and that there were "strange intimacies in the dressing room" when they appeared together in the 2010 production of The Diary of a Madman.

There was also an incident in which Rush held a mirror above the shared dressing room's shower, while Stone was inside.

"I remember I looked up to see there was a small shaving mirror over the top of the partition between the showers and he was using it to look down at my naked body," she told the newspaper.

"I believe that it was meant with a playful intention, but the effect was that I felt there was nowhere for me to feel safe and unobserved."

In a statement to the Times, Rush said Stone's allegations of inappropriate behaviour "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. I sincerely and deeply regret if I have caused her any distress. This, most certainly, has never been my intention," he added.

Throughout the claims, Stone said she was reluctant to come forward due to the state of Australia's defamation laws, which place the onus on the publisher to prove the claims are true. In the U.S., it's on the defamed to prove the claims are false.

It can lead to a costly and exhausting legal battle, as witnessed in the case between Rush and Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph, who published claims of sexual misconduct by Rush against actress Eryn Jean Norvill.

Topics Celebrities

Mashable Image
Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Apple is testing a 'deep red' color for iPhone 18 Pro, report says
row of iphone 17 pro phones on display at apple park

Meta execs let teens use AI chatbots despite safety warnings, released docs allege
A translucent phone screen showing the Meta AI logo, over Meta AI companion avatars.

iPhone 18 Pro will be missing a popular color, leaker says
iPhone 17 Pro in Apple Store


OnlyFans 'baits and switches' customers with false promises, lawsuit claims
onlyfans logo on a phone

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma


NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!