Actress tells Geoffrey Rush trial ‘sexual predators’ rife in theatre industry
AN actress who accused Hollywood star Geoffrey Rush of stroking her breast has told a court that “sexual predators” were rife in the theatre industry. Eryn Jean Norvill said there was “a culture of bullying and harassment” in the rehearsal room of the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of King Lear.
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AN actor who accused Hollywood star Geoffrey Rush of stroking her breast on stage says “sexual predators” are rife in the Australian theatre industry.
Eryn Jean Norvill said there was “a culture of bullying and harassment” in the rehearsal room of the Sydney Theatre Company’s (STC) King Lear production and that other cast members were silenced by Mr Rush’s star power.
“I believe people knew about it but … there was a level of hierarchy that kept that level of fear and silence in place,” Ms Norvill told the Federal Court on Wednesday.
Mr Rush is suing The Daily Telegraph over a series of articles late in 2017 which reported that a young actor had lodged a complaint with the STC over his alleged “inappropriate behaviour”.
The actor was later named as Ms Norvill, who played the 67-year-old’s daughter Cordelia in the Shakespeare play.
“There are bullies and sexual predators, and sexual harassment happened in my workplace and it happens often,” Ms Norvill said.
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The 34-year-old had earlier told the court that she had felt “trapped” as Mr Rush “slowly” and “deliberately” ran his fingers over her right breast as she played a dead body on stage.
She said that she felt “belittled, embarrassed” and “shamed” after the Oscar winner gestured groping her breasts while bulging his eyes and licking his lips during play rehearsals.
Mr Rush’s barrister Bruce McClintock, SC, asked her if she was let down by industry veteran and fellow King Lear co-star Robyn Nevin for doing nothing about the harassment after she raised it with her.
“Ms Nevin has always been kind to me.
“Whether she enabled Geoffrey’s behaviour is a different matter,” Ms Norvill said under cross examination.
“We’re from different generations, we may have different ideas about what is culturally acceptable in the workplace.
“Yes, she enabled the behaviour.”
Under repeated questioning Ms Norvill said she only confronted Mr Rush once about his behaviour while he was rubbing her back along the waistline of her low rise jeans as they waited in the wings to begin the final crucial scene.
The Daily Telegraph’s legal team on Wednesday flagged it would apply to amend its defence, with the court ruling that the details of the application and the identity of any new potential witnesses be temporarily suppressed.
Mr Rush denies any wrongdoing and claims two front page articles in the newspaper about the alleged incident painted him as a “pervert” and “sexual predator”.
The newspaper argues the stories published on November 30 and December 1 last year draw on allegations made by Ms Norvill and are true.
The case continues.