HERALD SUN 10.09.2016 PLAY ON COULD GAMES REPLACE BOOKS? LIANA BUCHANAN PROTECTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE Rodger THAT ACTOR RODGER CORSER PROVES HE’S NO SPIN DOCTOR V1 - MHSE01Z02WE 06 Just what the doctor ordered HE man he plays in his latest TV role hides his insecurity well, both on and off the camera. Despite an 18-year acting career and landing believes he is invincible. But despite In person he is engaging, warm and articulate. He’s having had a hugely successful acting been the go-to guy for legendary TV producer John a headlining new role, Rodger Corser still career which has spanned more than 18 Edwards in prime-time drama series including Rush, years, Rodger Corser still wakes up each Party Tricks, Puberty Blues and The Beautiful Lie. admits to a few personal insecurities about day feeling slightly terrified it And co-stars past and present universally rave Tcould all be taken away from him. about his talent, supportive work ethic and his his job, writes TIFFANY DUNK “I’ve never related to that sense of affable onset presence. Hayley McElhinney, invincibility,” admits the 43-year-old making her major TV debut in Corser’s new father of four, who will hit screens series, sums up the thoughts of her fellow in new Channel 9 series Doctor Doctor Doctor Doctor cast. Update your home with the latest on Wednesday. “I was really nervous on my first day “Most of us are usually trying to hide of set,” the theatre actor and sister of PLANTATION our insecurity in this game because this Logie-winner Mandy says. job could get pulled underneath you at “But as soon as Rodger swooped in, SHUTTERS any moment. You could be on a great I thought, ‘I’m in safe hands.’ He was just show and for a variety of different so effortless and kind and gentle. I really Plantation Shutters reasons it could not be there the appreciated it.” Indoor & Outdoor louvres next year. Still despite the praise and recognition, Timber – Polymer – “You can have a run of in previous years Corser says he’s auditions where you’re purposefully steered away from roles Aluminium Shutters getting every second or that put him front and centre, Latest colour ranges third one and then … just preferring to be part of Free visit to your home nothing happens. That’s the ensemble casts. with sample shutters nature of what I do. But that’s about to change. “And another pressure is Unbelievably low prices. that I’m the breadwinner of N Doctor Doctor, Corser Our very low prices can the family. Even though I’ve is pegged firmly as the make shutters happen been really lucky to work the Iheadlining star. He plays for you last 10 years — I’ve had high-flying genius heart something every year — it surgeon Hugh Knight DOMAIN can all stop.” who, after a series of BLINDS AND SHUTTERS Despite these constant fears — events, loses his which even stops him booking surgical licence. Call 7 Days on 0412 333 552 “Free Quotes All Suburbs” family holidays for fear he’ll miss In an ironic twist, Knight is sent out on that next job — Corser back to the small country hometown 06 WEEKEND, Saturday, September 10, 2016 MHSE01Z01WE - V1 07 VER the course of production Corser was required to be on set all day bar one and was Oin the majority of scenes. It was gruelling work and long days but the actor says the biggest hardship was struggling with missing his family, given the out- of-town locations often necessitated overnight stays. That family consists of his wife of nine years, fellow actor Renae Berry, and their three children, Budd, 5, Cilla, 4, and Dillon, who is close to turning one. Corser also has a 14-year-old daughter, Zipporah — or Zippy, as he affectionately refers to her — from a previous relationship with Christine Anu. Corser says that without the support of his wife, who held down the family fort over the five months the series was filmed, there’s no way he would have been able to take on the role. “Renae has to take all the credit because she was the one running around,” he says. “And they’re at that age where my oldest boy is at primary school, my youngest girl is at preschool and my youngest boy is in a pram. “So she’s in and out with car seats and prams and going to different schools. I think my job seems much easier, getting picked up and driven to work then dropped back home or to the hotel and people handing me a latte in the middle of filming. “There’s no doubt about it, I have them for half a day and I’m asking for help. But I’ve got a bit of a break now so I’m trying to do the school drop-offs and pick-ups and so on. And nappy-changing duty, I do that, too.” Still, it’s unlikely Corser will be off work for too long. Even if Doctor Doctor doesn’t receive a season two pick- up, he has rarely had a break from work since his debut role in a 1998 stage production of the musical Rent. Back then, Corser had no plans to act. Instead, he was working as a jobbing musician, playing in several local bands. He’d also recently completed a degree in media studies at Deakin University. “I wanted to work behind the camera, which is why I did the degree,” he says. “I’d done a minor subject in drama in my media studies course but that was one first-year semester and that was it. “I went to an open audition for Rent and that was my first gig,” he says, neglecting to mention he beat out more than 6000 other people for the role of HIV-positive musician Roger. “That’s how it all happened for me. You get an agent after that because you’ve already got a role and then they send you to castings.” Rent was a smash hit, touring both Melbourne and Sydney. Not only did it receive incredible reviews, it also saw his onstage pairing with the woman playing erotic dancer Mimi, Christine Anu, become a real-life one. The couple were tabloid darlings at the time with both actors seeing their careers soar. Their romance lasted more than six years and produced a daughter who appears to have he’s done everything in his power to avoid, returning to (da Silva plays Knight’s inherited her parents’ work as a lowly GP as he whiles out his suspension. former high school artistic talent. Back in town, he must deal with some incredibly sweetheart, who has “For Zippy it’s dance, fractured family relationships, a variety of oddball local gone on to marry his dance and more patients, a crisis with his childhood best friend and younger brother), dance,” Corser says. “If manage to soothe the huge blow to his own ego. Even though off screen it’s entirely she could dance all day And, of course, the devilishly handsome doctor I’ve been different. and drop, then she will gain plenty of attention from the women in the The pair met while would. I’m like, ‘You small town, which will add extra pressure to his really lucky working on police have to fit in your existing relationships. action series Rush — school work in between, It’s an actor’s gift of a role. to work the which each credit with I’m sorry sweetheart.’ But the headliner status has put additional pressure playing a seminal role in “She’s actually with me on Corser’s shoulders that sits uncomfortably for last 10 years their careers — and have this week, she’s got a the Melbourne-born, Sydney-based actor. stayed in touch. chance to work with Bangarra While he’s working hard not to speculate about ... it can all “Me and Nicole are good and the Sydney Dance what will happen should Doctor Doctor not fire for stop mates,” Corser says. “We’ve hung Company. She’s extremely Nine come ratings time, given it’s his face on all the out in LA a little bit when we’ve both passionate in life. billboards and his character who is the centre of all the been over for pilot season and helped “But the dancing talent definitely onscreen action, that’s proving harder than he’d like. each other out with auditions. So it’s great came from her mother, not from me.” “I try not to think about it but obviously my face to be able to work with her again.” Parenting a teenager has brought a whole new is out there a lot and I’m the central character to the Given the show shot for five months in three set of fears and insecurities into Corser’s life. story, so, yes, they might point some fingers towards different NSW locations — Sydney, Camden and “On the younger end of the scale I worry about the lead actor (if it fails),” he says. Healthy career: Rodger Mudgee — having those friendships helped Corser them bumping into a burning pot on the stove or “But I’m pretty confident that we’ve got a great Corser (top) is the headline survive a jam-packed shooting schedule. It also gave turning off the oven or making sure I block off the show and there’s an amazing ensemble cast. face for new TV series him partners in crime for when he was far from home.