One of the most decorated and prestigious actors to have ever come from Australia and a true Hollywood legend in his own right, Geoffrey Rush has enjoyed a sublime career. After toiling away through the '70s and '80s, he landed his breakthrough role in 1996’s Shine, excelling in a lead performance that earned him an Academy Award. From there, he has gone from strength to strength, appearing in everything from critically revered sleeper hits to major blockbuster triumphs.

A versatile talent, Rush excels at bringing charm and comedic wit to some characters while reveling in making others deeply flawed and disturbing. Across the dozens of film credits he has accumulated through a dazzling career, these a few stand out among critics and fans. These are Geoffrey Rush's best movies, enduring testaments of his remarkable versatility and on-screen prowess.

10 'Quills' (2000)

Directed by Philip Kaufman

A brilliant historical fiction that maintains a captivating basis on a real person, Quills sees Geoffrey Rush star as the Marquis de Sade, a controversial French writer who lived from 1740 to 1814 and became known for his explicit sexual material and views. The 2000 movie speculates on de Sade’s ultimate fate, following the author in his final years as an inmate in an insane asylum where he clashes with overseer François Simonet de Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix) while publishing his work through laundress Maddy LeClerc (Kate Winslet).

A deep dive into the depraved mind of de Sade, Quills flaunts a sexual openness that can make it a difficult viewing, particularly with some of its more violent scenes. Still, Philip Kaufman intelligently uses provocative material to spur contemplation rather than shallow excitement. Rush received an Oscar nomination for his lead performance, while Winslet and Phoenix earned praise for their trademark brilliance.

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9 'Holding the Man' (2015)

Directed by Neil Armfield

One of Geoffrey Rush’s more underrated features and a relatively recent release, Holding the Man stands as an Australian romantic drama focusing on LGBTQIA+ issues enriched by tender performances. Based on a true-life story, it follows the relationship between Timothy Conigrave (Ryan Corr) and John Caleo (Craig Stott), two classmates from Melbourne who fall in love in the late 1970s. However, their romance is tested by external factors, including the AIDS virus.

Holding the Man excels as one of the best LGBTQ+ movies in recent years, reminding viewers that Rush can excel as a valuable supporting player as easily as he can as the lead.

Beautiful yet heart-wrenching, Holding the Man thrives as a romantic tragedy, presenting a touching love story that is only made more emotionally powerful with its basis on reality. Its fantastic supporting cast includes Guy Pearce, Sarah Snook, Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Fox, and Geoffrey Rush, who appears as an acting teacher who clashes with Tim at NIDA. This underrated gem excels as one of the best LGBTQ+ movies in recent years, reminding viewers that Rush can excel as a valuable supporting player as easily as he can as the lead.

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8 'Lantana' (2001)

Directed by Ray Lawrence

An enticing co-production between Australia and Germany, Lantana is an underrated crime mystery with an entrancing focus on relationships and betrayal. It follows Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) as he is entwined in a web of adultery and deceit while investigating the disappearance of Valerie Sommers (Barbara Hershey), a psychiatrist still grieving the murder of her daughter. Rush co-stars as John Knox, Valerie’s husband and the prime suspect, resigned to the fate of his collapsing marriage.

Using insinuations and suspicious characters to emphasize its core message of trust, betrayal, and forgiveness, Lantana represents Australian cinema at its most bold and ambitious.

Intricately plotted and exploring the lives and dynamics between a wide range of interlinked strangers, Lantana finds an all-encompassing appeal that is complemented by the cast’s strong performances. Rush is magnetic in one of his most elusive roles, portraying a difficult character that few other actors could handle. Using insinuations and suspicious characters to emphasize its core message of trust, betrayal, and forgiveness, Lantana represents Australian cinema at its most bold and ambitious.

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7 'Munich' (2005)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Helmed by Steven Spielberg and using its historical setting to generate a rousing and intense story, Munich is a film that packs even more of a punch today than it did upon release. Set in the aftermath of the terror attack on the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich that left 11 Israeli athletes dead, it follows a small group of Jewish men tasked with carrying out assassinations in retaliation. However, as the mission goes on, the group’s leader, Avner Kaufman (Eric Bana), expresses doubts over the morality of his assignment.

While falling short of Spielberg’s greatest-ever films, Munich still features the iconic filmmaker’s knack for engaging storytelling and compelling action, making the 166-minute runtime breeze by as a riveting and thought-provoking thriller. Rush plays the part of Ephraim, Kaufman’s handler who works for Mossad and takes issue with the operative’s reservations concerning the mission. It's a detached and slightly sinister role, and Rush brings it to life with stoic commitment.

Watch on Starz

6 'Shakespeare in Love' (1998)

Directed by John Madden

Another historical fiction that granted Geoffrey Rush ample opportunity to showcase his comedic talents in a meaningful supporting role, Shakespeare in Love is an Oscar-winning smash hit that remains one of the defining films of the late 90s. It tracks a fictional affair between William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) and the theater-loving daughter of a wealthy merchant, Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow). While the romance helps Shakespeare overcome his writer’s block to pen "Romeo & Juliet," it does present some other precarious issues.

Ultimately thriving as a delightful, witty, and visually sublime period rom-com, Shakespeare in Love became one of the biggest hits of its year, winning seven Academy Awards and grossing $289.3 million worldwide. Geoffrey Rush was nominated for his portrayal of Philip Henslowe, Shakespeare’s employer and owner of The Rose Theatre, while Paltrow and Judi Dench won Oscars for their respective performances. Despite its infamous reputation as a Best Picture winner, Shakespeare in Love is an endlessly charming and enjoyable rom-com that deserves all the praise it got.

5 'Elizabeth' (1998)

Directed by Shekhar Kapur