Embattled Australian actor Ryan Corr has dropped out of an upcoming stage production of Cyrano de Bergerac in Sydney to take on a new film project.

The rising talent, who stars in Russell Crowe's upcoming directorial debut The Water Diviner, had been cast as simple-minded nobleman Christian in the Sydney Theatre Company's run of the classic French play, which will be directed by Cate Blanchett's husband Andrew Upton, who still serves as the organisation's artistic director.

However, Corr has since decided to bow out of the show due to a scheduling clash with a major new Australian movie.

Upton says, "We've accepted Ryan's request to withdraw from Cyrano de Bergerac to enable him to take on a leading role in a film. This will be a great opportunity for him and we understand his desire to be part of an important new Australian film at this time in his career. We very much hope to see him on an Stc stage again soon."

Corr has been replaced by Stc regular, Chris Ryan, for the production, which opens on 15 November (14).

The news emerges a week before Corr is due to appear in court to face a drug possession charge on 2 September (14).

The actor, the 2011 recipient of the Heath Ledger Scholarship Award, was allegedly caught smoking heroin by police officers in the Bondi Beach area of Sydney on 27 May (14). Cops also allegedly found a bag of heroin powder in his possession.