Actor Geoffrey Rush has sought more than $20 million in damages in his defamation case against The Daily Telegraph, an amount almost $17 million higher than the record largest defamation payout.

The figure was detailed in public documents uploaded to the Federal Court's website in November which were ineffectively redacted.

Geoffrey Rush leaves the Federal Court in Sydney on November 8. Credit:Nick Moir

In the documents, seen by the Herald, Rush's barristers Bruce McClintock, SC, and Sue Chrysanthou argue Rush is entitled to special damages between $4,834,749 and $20,300,783 based on lost future income after the Telegraph published two articles and a newsagent poster in late 2017 accusing Rush of "inappropriate behaviour" during the Sydney Theatre Company's 2015-16 production of King Lear.

The lower figure is calculated on Rush being given 25 per cent less acting roles as a result of the Telegraph's stories, while the higher figure is based on him being given 75 per cent less acting roles.