Neil Armfield led the 2015 Sydney Theatre Company production of King Lear at the centre of Rush’s defamation case against the Daily Telegraph.
Earlier, Armfield said he’d known Rush since 1979, describing him as “an internationally important actor” whose reputation had been “profoundly” impacted by the Telegraph articles.
Rush denied the claim during his own cross-examination, but on Thursday the Telegraph’s barrister, Tom Blackburn SC, pressed Armfield on the allegation.
However, Armfield said he hadn’t witnessed Rush describe Norvill that way.