(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Geoffrey Rush says shooting the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is like the Christmas holidays "without the fights".

The actor portrays Barbossa in the film franchise, and is currently promoting the fourth instalment On Stranger Tides. Johnny Depp reprises his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, while many of the crew members have also worked on all four releases. That makes the pictures especially fun to shoot, as everyone is so close.

"It's like a Christmas holidays without the fights. If there is a fight it's a highly choreographed sword fight," Geoffrey laughed.

"I've been working with the same camera crew, stunt guys, maritime department they aren't seen much but getting 80 100 pirates out on a boat to shoot a scene is like a major military manoeuvre."

Penlope Cruz joined the franchise for the latest instalment, playing Angelica. Geoffrey was thrilled to get to work with her, and is proud of the way the film series has turned out.

The first three were a trilogy while On Stranger Tides is a stand-alone movie, and he relished the chance to get stuck into something fresh.

"Everyone decided here's a great opportunity to wipe the slate clean, to keep the dynamic energy we had at the very beginning of who process," he told the Kyle and Jackie O radio show. "And leaving the monkey out of it for a while that was good better Penlope than the monkey." (C) Cover Media