Geoffrey Rush has announced he will be suing The Daily Telegraph for defamation, alleging the Sydney newspaper made “false” claims of inappropriate behaviour on the set of King Lear.
Rush, who has maintained throughout he had not committed any such act, said the news outlet had caused great distress to him, his family and the community.
“This has created irreparable damage to my reputation, has been extremely hurtful to my wife, my daughter and my son and to my extended family as well as to many colleagues in the film, television and theatre industry,” he said.
The case will not go before a jury as the Academy Award winner has filed the proceedings in the Federal Court.
Sydney Theatre Company (STC) came out on behalf of a complainant to allege The King’s Speech alum acted “inappropriately” over several months between November 2015 and January 2016.
“Sydney Theatre Company received a complaint alleging that Mr Geoffrey Rush had engaged in inappropriate behaviour,” a spokeswoman said to The Daily Telegraph.
“The Company received the complaint when Mr Rush’s engagement with the Company had ended. The Company continues to work with the complainant to minimise the risk of future instances of the alleged behaviour occurring in its workplace.
“The complainant has requested that their identity be withheld.
“STC respects that request and for privacy reasons, will not be making any further comments.”
However, the former Australian of the Year’s lawyers strenuously denied the claims, saying Rush had never been approached by either the individual or STC.
“Mr Rush has not been approached by the Sydney Theatre Company and the alleged complainant nor any representative of either of them concerning the matter you have raised,” the letter reads.
“Further, he has not been informed by them of the nature of the complaint and what it involves,” they said.
“In the circumstances, if such statement has been issued by the STC it is both irresponsible and highly damaging to say the least.
“Your ‘understanding’ of what has occurred is, with the greatest respect, simply fishing and unfounded.
“It does not warrant comment except that it is false and untrue.”
The 66-year-old is a married father-of-two and currently resides in Melbourne. He’s worked with the Sydney Theatre Company multiple times as both an actor and director.
