Australian actress Erin Jean Norvill had alleged that Academy-award winning actor Geoffrey Roy Rush made groping gestures at her in 2017.
The news of Rush's sexual allegation was first published by The Daily Telegraph. In the front-page article Rush was alleged to have engaged in an "inappropriate behaviour" onstage with his co-star during the 2015 production of King Lear.
Erin alleged that Rush made "groping gestures in the air with two cupped hands." Although she had previously denied to put forth her statement to the court, Erin, however, has now agreed to provide evidence at the upcoming trial, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
At that time, the published story had no corroboration for the allegations, however, the Sydney Theatre Company revealed to the Telegraph that there was indeed a complaint about an alleged sexual harassment by Rush.
Erin's statement will be a part of The Daily Telegraph's amended defence in the defamation suit the actor has filed against the newspaper. Her statement will reportedly allow the tabloid to argue on different grounds. In the said documents, the News Corp tabloid lists a series of incidents which according to their legal team reportedly shows Rush "engaged in conduct of a kind in which only a pervert would engage."
According to the documents, Rush touched Norvill on the face and arm in the manner of a father. However, when the actress opened her eyes, she discovered people laughing and the actor was "hovering his hands above her torso and pretending to stroke or caress her upper torso," reports The Guardian.
Rush constantly denied the allegations and filed a defamation suit charging the tabloid having "made false, pejorative and demeaning claims, splattering them with unrelenting bombast on its front pages."
At the same time, the Shine movie actor issued an affidavit stating that as a result of the allegations, he had been suffering from anxiety and even feels that "his worth to the theatre and film industry is now irreparably damaged." In addition to this, his lawyers have stated such delays are causing him trauma.
"Mr. Rush is suffering continuing trauma because of these proceedings and because of the allegations, so the delay of seven weeks is maybe not a big deal to News Limited, but it is a big deal to him."
