Geoffrey Rush Is Now Suing The Daily Telegraph For Defamation

Actor Geoffrey Rush has filed a defamation lawsuit against The Daily Telegraph, after the News Corp publication ran a story detailing allegations of inappropriate behaviour from Rush during his stint performing in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of King Lear throughout 2015-16.

Rush fronted media for the first time since The Daily Tele ran the allegations, speaking from the building of his legal counsel. Rush asserted that the situation was “intolerable” and that the paper had made “false, pejorative, and demeaning claims” against him.

The full text of Rush’s statement reads as follows:

Today I have filed defamation proceedings against the Daily Telegraph in the Federal Court of Australia. It is an action I am taking in order to address the slurs, innuendo and hyperbole they have created around my standing in the entertainment industry and in the greater community.

The Daily Telegraph has made false, pejorative and demeaning claims splattering them with unrelenting bombast on its front pages. 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 televisions and theatre industry.

The situation is intolerable and I must now seek vindication of my good name through the courts.

I thank you for your kind attention.

Rush’s solicitor, Nicholas Pullen, stated that the court documents had only been filed with the Federal Court of Australia earlier today, and that this press conference would likely be the first anyone at the Daily Telegraph would’ve heard of them.

Rush stepped down from his role as President of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts on Saturday in the wake of the report. He also abstained from attending this week’s AACTA Awards ceremony.

The 66-year-old actor did not take questions from the media today.

The Daily Telegraph has yet to issue comment on the legal proceedings.

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