Showbiz

Geoffrey Rush named 'Victorian of the Year'

Published Tuesday, Nov 15 2011, 02:48 GMT | By Rebecca Davies | Add comment

Geoffrey Rush has been named 'Victorian of the Year'.

The Australian actor - who was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Lionel Logue in The King's Speech last year - was given the honour for his outstanding achievements on the stage and screen and his dedication to the Australian arts scene.

According to AAP, Rush has now automatically become a finalist for the 2012 Australian of the Year awards.

During his long acting career, Rush has mentored various young Australian performance artists such as Cate Blanchett. He has also won a Tony Award, Emmy Award, three BAFTAs and two Golden Globes.

The 'Victorian Senior Australian of the Year' prize went to Afghani-born Dr Nouria Salehi for her voluntary work in Australia and Afghanistan and for her biophysics research that is helping doctors detect and treat cancer.

> 'King's Speech' Broadway play on hold, now to premiere in Guildford
> Geoffrey Rush donates costumes and awards to theatre collection

Watch the trailer for The King's Speech below: