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Geoffrey Rush deliberately positioned himself on the left side of the screen in the Pirates of the Caribbean films based on his theory that Western audiences scan a movie screen from left to right, just as they read a book. He believed this ensured viewers would look at his character, Captain Barbossa, before looking at his co-stars. Rush famously stated he did this to avoid being upstaged by more "attractive" cast members like Keira Knightley (and occasionally the monkey, Jack), ensuring his character made a strong initial impact in shared scenes.
The reason Geoffrey Rush often stood on the left side of the screen as Captain Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean films was a deliberate, specific choice he made to draw the audience's attention to his character first.
Rush's reasoning was based on his belief that viewers of a film, especially in Western cultures, naturally "scan" a scene from left to right, similar to how they read a book.
By positioning himself consistently on the left side of the frame, he ensured that his character, Captain Barbossa, would be the initial focus for the audience's eyes before they moved across the rest of the shot.
This technique was a conscious effort by Rush, who reportedly made the request to directors and cinematographers, as he was concerned that his character, Captain Barbossa, a supporting role, would be overlooked next to his more "attractive cast members," like Keira Knightley. He wanted to maximize his presence and ensure he stood out for "maximum impact."
In addition to Keira Knightley, Rush also jokingly mentioned he needed to use this technique to compete with 'Jack the Monkey' for audience attention.