Rush loved acting from an early age, which translated to a long standing theater career. Making his debut in 1971, Rush was known for his classically dramatic works. However, he scored an unexpected crowd-pleasing hit as Snoopy in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1972. Rush relocated to France for several years but returned to his home country to continue pursuing an acting and directing career.
Rush’s attempt to enter filmdom was less than monumental. He won roles in Hoodwink in 1981 and Twelfth Night in 1987, but not much came of the productions. However, Rush continued to be a presence on the stage, including a part in the well-received Diary of a Madman in 1989. In 1992, due to exhaustion and overwork, Rush suffered a nervous breakdown. His hiatus lasted until 1996 when he took a role in the film Children of the Revolution.
With this role, filmmakers finally recognized the untapped talent in Rush, and he won the lead in the 1996 biopic Shine. Rush’s portrayal of the eccentric and troubled piano prodigy David Helfgott won him the Oscar, the AFI (Australian Film Institute) Award, the BAFTA Award, the BSFC (Boston Society of Film Critics) Award, a Golden Globe, and many, many more. In a practically unanimous cry, the film community across the globe praised Rush’s performance and ability.
With the acclaim and success of Shine, Rush had finally made his way into the inner echelons of Hollywood society. Roles became available to him that he never could have dreamed of while in the Australian theater. In 1998 he took a part in the film adaptation of Les Misérables, with Liam Neeson, Uma Thurman, and Claire Danes; as well as roles in the Elizabethan period films Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love.
Shakespeare in Love earned Rush an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actor, and in 2000 he earned another nomination for Best Actor in Quills, the life story of the Marquis de Sade. His wife of eighteen years, Jane Menelaus, played a minor role alongside Rush in Quills.
However, Rush does not limit his acting to serious roles of immediate social and personal import. He takes plenty of fun, lighthearted, and silly projects. Playing the character of Casanova Frankenstein next to Jeneane Garofalo, Ben Stiller, William H Macy, and Hank Azaria, Rush performed in the 1999 superhero film Mystery Men. He also provided his voice talents to the Pixar smash hit Finding Nemo in 2003. Other celebrity voices you may have recognized in that film are Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, and Willem Dafoe.
Rush also scored the role of Captain Barbossa in the wildly successful trilogy series Pirates of the Caribbean. When Rush got a break from swashbuckling and pillaging, he also starred in the highly acclaimed biopic The Life and Death of Peter Sellers in 2004. That film brought out similar star performances from Charlize Theron, Emily Watson, John Lithgow, and Stanley Tucci.
In May 2007 Geoffrey made his return as a pirate in the well received movie, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: World's End’ which also starred Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, Keira Knightley as Elizabeth and Bill Nighy as Davey Jones. With his naturally rugged looks he was the ideal ‘father’ to Johnny’s Jack.
Rush and wife Menelaus have two children, Angelica and James. He and his family live in Melbourne, Australia.
Let us know of updates to the Geoffrey Rush biography at editor@yuddy.com
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