Craig McLachlan's legal team has accused the ABC and Fairfax Media of launching a "double-pronged attack" against the Australian actor, as the jury trial in his defamation case began in a Sydney court today.
McLachlan is suing the ABC, Fairfax Media and actress Christie Whelan Browne for defamation over reports in 2018 that he allegedly indecently assaulted, harassed, bullied and exposed himself to female cast members during the 2014 tour of The Rocky Horror Show.
The case is centred around two reports aired on the ABC's 7.30 program, as well as an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald in January 2018, which the actor has claimed damaged his reputation.
The 56-year-old sat quietly in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday as his barrister Kieran Smark SC outlined the plaintiff's case.
"For our client, Mr McLachlan, it's a very significant case," Mr Smark told the court.
"It's a case about a double-pronged attack made on him by two powerful media organisations."
In opening evidence, McLachlan's legal team tendered to the court a series of videos and photos while the actor was on set.
It included photos of the actor and his former colleague, Christie Whelan Browne, taken during the production of Grease in 2005, one of which Mr Smark said "simulated sex".
The jury was also shown a picture of Whelan Browne, which Mr Smark said showed her in "a state of undress", noting "that's just the way the show was".
The barrister also played a 12-minute "blooper reel" filmed in 2014 while McLachlan was a cast member on the ABC's The Doctor Blake Mysteries, which showed the actor engaging in simulated sex acts.
McLachlan is expected to testify in court tomorrow.
Mr Smark said the actor would give evidence about the "atmosphere on set".
"He will give evidence about the extent to which that [blooper reel] did or didn't represent the sort of camaraderie that was enjoyed over the five seasons by the cast and crew of that show," Mr Smark told the court.
"Part of his evidence to you we anticipate will be that the way that actors deal with each other… and deal with the stresses involved in performing and demands of performance is perhaps somewhat different to other workplaces."
In her opening statement, Acting Justice C Simpson said 30 to 40 witnesses are expected to be called.
Witnesses included several Australian actors, TV and theatre producers.
