Geoffrey Rush is suing the Sydney Daily Telegraph for defamation after the paper published a report on allegations of “inappropriate behavior” stemming from his time at the Sydney Theatre Company.
According to Variety, a complaint was filed with the theatre company, which the organization made public, despite never expounding on what the “inappropriate behavior” was exactly. In response, Rush said the STC was trying to “smear” his name. Earlier this week, he resigned from the Australian Academy Of Cinema And Television Arts in order to “make a clean break to clear the air is the best for all concerned.” The AACTA said it was “deeply concerned about the situation and support a course of action that both respects Geoffrey’s rights to the presumption of innocence and due process, but also acknowledges good corporate governance in these circumstances.”
Rush has denied the allegations, and on Friday, he held a press conference to announce his lawsuit against the Sydney Daily Telegraph, calling it “an action I am taking in order to redress the slurs, innuendo, and hyperbole they have created around my standing in the entertainment industry and greater community. The Daily Telegraph has made false, pejorative, and demeaning claim—splattering them with unrelenting bombast on its front pages.”
At the time of this writing, the Daily Telegraph had not yet responded.