Robyn Nevin tells court she denies actress confided in her over Geoffrey Rush harassment

Actress Robyn Nevin tells court that she denies a younger colleague confided in her about being harassed by Geoffrey Rush.

Actors Judy Davis and Robyn Nevin arrive at the Federal Court in Sydney. Picture: AAP

Actress Eryn Jean Norvill said in text messages that she felt “fairly alone” and that “there are many stories, not just mine’’, after The Daily Telegraph published allegations her King Lear co-star Geoffrey Rush had behaved inap­p­ropriately towards her.

The actress, who is at the centre of a defamation case Rush has brought against the Telegraph, also wrote that Sydney Theatre Company artistic director Kip Williams “has been strong for me” but she was “frightened”, as the media “are ferociously hounding me”. The actress, who did not speak to the newspaper for its articles, added: “I didn’t ask for any of this. It’s awful.’’

The texts were uploaded as exhibits in the case to the Federal Court’s website last night, ahead of Norvill’s expected appearance today at the trial in which Rush is suing the newspaperand journalist Jonathon Moran after it published claims Rush behaved inappropriately towards Norvill during a 2015-16 Sydney Theatre Company production of King Lear.

The Oscar-winning actor said the Telegraph’s articles falsely painted him as a “pervert” and “sexual predator”.

Texts read out in court showed Nevin had contacted Norvill on December 1.

The Telegraph is defending the articles on the ground it claims the allegations are true.

The text messages were part of an exchange between Norvill and veteran actress Robyn Nevin, who both appeared alongside Rush in King Lear.

Yesterday in court, Nevin testified that Norvill became tearful as she confided that returning to work in a prominent Sydney theatre in 2016 reminded her of the “trouble” she had endured during the Lear production months ­before.

Actor Robyn Nevin leaves the Federal Court after giving evidence. Picture: AAP

The Telegraph’s barrister, Tom Blackburn SC, put it to Nevin that the trouble referred to “inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature’’. Nevin denied this, saying: “There was no reference to anything sexual.”

Mr Blackburn put it to Nevin that she had said to Norvill: “I thought Geoffrey had stopped doing that. Poor Jane (a reference to Rush’s wife, Jane Menelaus).’’

“Well, I deny that,’’ Nevin said.

The eminent actress said Norvill’s trouble related to difficulties she had with her role as Cordelia, King Lear’s youngest daughter.

Nevin stated she did not see Rush do anything untoward during the King Lear run.

Geoffrey Rush leaves court. Picture: Dylan Robinson

She became emotional when she talked about visiting Rush and Menelaus, a close friend, in Melbourne soon after the Telegraph’s articles were published. “Jane was hysterical and it was deeply upsetting,” she said. Rush, she maintained, was still confused about the allegations.

However, texts read out in court showed Nevin had contacted Norvill on December 1 — the day after the Telegraph’s first article appeared. That text said: “Oh dear girl, are you okay?’’, “It’s nasty” and “I hope you’ll be ­protected’’.

Norvill was not named in the newspaper’s articles. Mr Blackburn argued Nevin knew she was the complainant because of their earlier conversation about Norvill’s trouble. Nevin denied this.

Earlier, two-time Academy Award nominee Judy Davis also testified on Rush’s behalf. She had worked with the Oscar winner on four films including The Eye of the Storm, and said he had a “very fine reputation” before the articles were published.

Davis said she didn’t discuss the Telegraph’s stories with colleagues because “I don’t like gossip”. But she said a couple of industry people had told her that because of the articles, the actor’s career was “finished”.

The Daily Telegraph is due to outline its case this morning. King Lear cast member Mark Leonard Winter will testify for the newspaper. Norvill — the Telegraph’s key witness — is expected to testify after that.