Rodger Corser (Main), with Wife Renae Berry (Above) and with the Doctor, Doctor Cast (Below)
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t’s the early 1990s and a young Rodger “In my profession, you can have people who Corser has just taken to the stage in a are very confident, and maybe rightly so, but simple pub in Melbourne’s there are many who constantly battle a lack of northeastern suburbs. With a mop of confidence and insecurity about whether they RODGER hair, tight jeans and a smouldering are doing a good job. You’re performing all the smirk, the young frontman of time, if you think about it. Whether it’s an energetic band Tender Prey belts out a audition, on camera, doing an interview like this, rock ballad that has the modest crowd going on radio to promote a show, something cheering. And so begins his road to stardom. like that, it’s a performance. CORSER IMore than two decades later, he’s regarded as “It’s like hiding behind a false bravado and one of the biggest stars on Australian television. then it’s finished and it’s like, phew.” Corser, who currently leads Nine’s hit drama Doctor Doctor, didn’t plan on being an actor. “I was interested in film and TV so I did a octor Doctor brought some feelings degree in media studies but I figured I’d end up of anxiety, Corser admits. It doesn’t behind the camera,” the 43-year-old recalls. matter how long he does this job, “That was the plan. And music.” the nerves are ever-present. But, as Then Corser beat 6000 other hopefuls in an he points out, the face of the show open casting call for the lead role in the national Denjoys dizzying highs during success and the tour of the musical Rent. lion’s share of blame in the event of failure: “The Its 1998 seasons in Sydney and Melbourne pressure is on a bit more. You want it to go again. Home- were hugely successful and propelled him on to Obviously you do with any project, but when the radar of small-screen producers: “I got an you’re the central character you don’t want agent and started doing bits and pieces and the people to think you can’t carry a show.” rest, as they say, is history.” Thankfully Corser and the rest of the cast From soaps to police procedurals and don’t need to worry about that. A few weeks into critically acclaimed dramas, Corser has fronted a this season, Nine confirmed it had long list of hit series since his debut in 2000. commissioned a second instalment for 2017. His latest role is as Hugh Knight, a brilliant It took the pressure off and resulted in a rarity grown but troubled heart surgeon from Sydney who for an actor — knowing what he’s up to next finds himself living back in his rural home town year, with production due to start mid-year. after a spectacular fall from grace. “I’ve been stopped on the street for this show The hard-partying, womanising doctor with a more than any other I’ve done, and I’m not just serious God complex believes he’s invincible, saying that. It’s really resonated,” he says. which causes him no end of trouble. But such is the nature of Australian TV that “I was really interested in that attitude. These Corser will probably fit in other projects that guys literally have people’s lives in their hands so come up, for love and for money. it’s no wonder some wind up a bit like Hugh,’’ he “More and more, it’s short-run shows. Back in says. “Not all of them. We’re not implying it’s the day, not long ago actually, seasons would HOTTIE everyone at all, let me be clear. Some doctors have three, sometimes four times the number of came after us on social media a little bit. episodes that they do now,’’ he says. “But in those high-end medical fields you “Rush wasn’t that long ago and we were doing might see a young surgeon living over in Bondi 22 episodes. One of those a year and you don’t Life’s good for this Aussie actor but in a flash apartment who hasn’t settled down and need anything else. Six parts, you’ve got to find is kicking around, living the high life. more work.” “When you do something extraordinary On the plus side, shorter shows means more there is still the question of finding at a level not many others reach, like surgery, it’s airtime to fill and Corser believes TV lately has easy to begin believing your own bullshit.’’ more variety than ever. balance, writes Shannon Molloy Corser says it can be similar for artists: “There’s a lot of stuff around,” he says. “There’s bravado, for sure, but there’s also a lot of “Just look at what I’ve done lately — insecurity. It’s a double-edged sword. procedurals that maybe skew a bit older, like Doctor, Doctor star Rodger Corser (main), with wife Renae Berry (above) and with the Doctor, Doctor cast (below). Cover photo: Corser, wearing a Herringbone suit with Saba shirt and Brando shoes, relaxes at the hip designer hotel, QT Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd COVER “In my profession, you can have people who Doctor Blake, genre shows like Glitch, dramas away somewhere and flying economy with are very confident, and maybe rightly so, but like Doctor Doctor and then extended all the kids is the same as two first-class seats, STORY there are many who constantly battle a lack of miniseries like The Beautiful Lie. Those are just did you know?” confidence and insecurity about whether they my credits but it’s replicated across the board.” His eldest child is showing signs of following are doing a good job. You’re performing all the What this steady schedule means is lots of in his and Anu’s entertainer footsteps, with a time, if you think about it. Whether it’s an time away from home, which comes at a cost, keen interest in dance. The teen has grown up on audition, on camera, doing an interview like this, he admits. TV sets and in recording studios. going on radio to promote a show, something “We’re blessed when it comes to her — she’s a THE ROLES like that, it’s a performance. great kid. I was such a headache for my parents “It’s like hiding behind a false bravado and orser is a father of four. His eldest around that age. She’s great. She comes to stay then it’s finished and it’s like, phew.” daughter, Zipporah, from his with us on the weekends and loves spending THAT previous relationship with singer time with the littler kids,’’ he says. Christine Anu, is now 14. Then “Well, in certain doses. When they start octor Doctor brought some feelings there’s Budd, 6, Cilla, 4, and climbing all over her and the baby starts pulling STOLE OUR of anxiety, Corser admits. It doesn’t CDustin, who’s one, with wife Renae Berry. on her hair, she might retreat to her room.” matter how long he does this job, “My youngest daughter hates it when Corser grew up in the suburbs but spent a lot the nerves are ever-present. But, as I go away,” Corser says with a hint of pain of his childhood in Victoria’s countryside, where HEARTS he points out, the face of the show in his voice. his mother’s family had a farm. Denjoys dizzying highs during success and the “When I have to say goodbye, she asks if He and younger brother Campbell would MCLEOD’S DAUGHTERS lion’s share of blame in the event of failure: “The I’m coming home that night, which breaks spend hours running around in the paddock and Peter Johnson pressure is on a bit more. You want it to go again. my heart. She asks how many nights, so I playing hide and seek in the shearing shed. It’s the part that won over the Obviously you do with any project, but when tiptoe around it and say ‘Just a few’ or ‘I’ll see There’s a photo of the two of them as kids, ladies of Australia, a handsome you’re the central character you don’t want you in a little while.’ It’s tough.” propped on top of a tractor together, that makes bushman with a sensitive side. people to think you can’t carry a show.” He credits Berry, an actor herself, with an appearance in Doctor Doctor. Thankfully Corser and the rest of the cast keeping the family ship afloat. Doctor Blake took “The art department asked for photos of the don’t need to worry about that. A few weeks into him to Melbourne each week for several months, cast when we were younger so they could this season, Nine confirmed it had while Doctor Doctor was shot predominantly on Photoshop us in together, for family photos on commissioned a second instalment for 2017. location in Mudgee. set at the homestead,” Corser says. It took the pressure off and resulted in a rarity “She’s absolutely wonderful,” Corser beams. “I gave them a bunch of me and my brother for an actor — knowing what he’s up to next “Going away is tough on her. From next year, and it could’ve been (my on-screen brother) year, with production due to start mid-year. when the kids are a bit older, I think she’s Ryan Johnson, so they used it.