What a Rush - Part I

With four films, two directors and a six billion dollar global box office gross under its belt, you would think the Pirates Of The Caribbean series is tired. That's not the case, says series stalwart Geoffrey Rush who has played likable villain Captain Barbossa since the first film in 2003.
``At the premiere in Disneyland 25,000 people lined up to see us and that kind of fan worship and turn out . . .if there wasn't that kind of enthusiasm we would stop making them,'' he says.
``The energy, the loyalty, the madness, the craziness, the obsession; these fans have been with us since 2003 and that audience doesn't want to be cheated.
``The films have got to be as funny and generous as the last ones, everyone's keen not make it a sausage machine.
```I love how we got into the pirate mythology, not just pirate history, which is a large part of what stops them getting tired.''

If anyone should be tired, it's Rush. The Oscar-winner, who turns 60 in July, is currently resting up in Australia after a whirlwind press tour for the film which has seen stopovers in Disneyland, London, Cannes and finally Sydney all within the past two weeks for Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides premieres. The fourth film sees Rush's Captain Barbossa reunite with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in a quest for The Fountain Of Youth (you can read my review below). Although the on-screen chemistry is supposed to be between Depp and new cast member Penelope Cruz as Blackbeard's daughter, Rush says Barbossa and Sparrow's long running love-hate relationship is where the sparks fly.
``Barbossa quite unashamedly just stole the Black Pearl from Jack and they've been arguing about that ever since,'' he says.
``So I said to Johnny `lets imagine that the Black Pearl is our shared girlfriend' because for me that's more interesting than a boat.''Rush is renowned for championing independent film projects such as Oscar-winning The King's Speech, for which he was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar and served as executive producer. But Rush says there isn't that much difference when it comes to working on a blockbuster franchise.
``Johnny (Depp) has spoken about it and I agree; the process doesn't change,'' he says.
``He said early on in the first one that it as like shooting a small, independent film that just happens to have a bucket load of money behind it.
``When you're on camera doing a two person scene it feels very intimate and just the same as doing The King's Speech for me or for him, Finding Neverland.''

Although Rush says a script for a fifth Pirates film has already been completed, his next focus is drama The Eye Of The Storm, alongside Judy Davis, and playing Lady Bracknell in The Melbourne Theatre Company's production of The Importance Of Being Earnest in November. Rush is one of 25 people to have won the Triple Crown of Acting - an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award - and says it's important for young thespians to have a grounding in theatre.
``I would certainly say if your going into it, don't be accidentally deceived.
``If you want to be a celebrity, be a celebrity.
``If you want to be an actor, get on stage and try and find out what that's about.''

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is out today. Above: You know you've `made it' when you get your very own waistcoat-wearing monkey. The fact it's carrying the Rage virus is a secondary concern.