Geoffrey Rush to sue Daily Telegraph over misconduct allegations

Australian actor Geoffrey Rush has announced that he’s suing Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph over stories it published about him.

The stories accused rush of misconduct during his time at the Sydney Theatre Company during a production of King Lear in 2015 and 2016.

During a press conference this afternoon with his lawyers, the 66-year-old revealed that proceedings had already been lodged in the Federal Court.

“The Daily Telegraph has made false, pejorative and demeaning claims, splattering them with unrelenting bombast on their front pages,” Rush told the press.

“This has caused irreparable damage to my reputation.”

It comes after the Oscar winner stood down from his role as president of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts in light of the allegations.

According to Nine News, Rush’s lawyers issued a letter to the media denying the claims that went viral in November.

“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,” Nine News reports the letter saying.

“Further, he has not been informed by them of the nature of the complaint and what it involves. In the circumstances, if such a 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.”