‘Do you want the truth?’ Australian actor Rodger Corser reveals tough reality of entertainment industry

He has starred in some of the country’s most successful TV series. Now, Rodger Corser has lifted the lid on the career crossroads many actors are facing.

After playing the leading man on Australian television series Doctor Doctor and Underbelly, Rodger Corser made the call to switch up his CV as acting roles started drying up.

“Some people think that if you’ve been acting for a long time, that 15 scripts are coming

across your desk at any one time. And it’s not the case,” Corser told the Stellar podcast Something To Talk About.

The 52-year-old previously took on the role TV host of reality competition show The

Traitors Australia, which ran for two seasons.

His latest role is as host of The Floor, a new game show set to premiere later this month.

Listen to the full interview with Rodger Corser on the Stellar podcast, Something To Talk About:

“The industry in this country has thinned out considerably, so you end up broadening what you think you can do. I think I’ve always been a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none, and willing to try new things – just really out of necessity.”

Rodger Corser opens up about the reality faced by many Australian actors in a new interview with Stellar. Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar

Being a jack of all trades must run in the family, as evidenced by Corser’s daughter

Zipporah (with singer Christine Anu, his co-star in a late-’90s production of the musical

Rent), a rising star in music, dance, theatre, screen, and radio.

Watching his daughter’s career progression, Corser believes the presence of social media has added another layer of pressure for the next generation of actors.

“People are talking about how people are getting cast. People are always cast because of

their profile, sure … but someone with 150,000 Instagram followers is getting the role

because they're’re going to help promote the show in some way,” he said.

Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar

Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar

“And you’re going: are they, though? How many of those 150,000 are going to come to the show?

“That’s where it’s tough, then they’re forced to play that game.

“I think there is an added pressure for younger performers these days to already be something.”

Listen to the full interview with Rodger Corser on the Stellar podcast, Something To Talk About:

In the interview, Corser also opened up about his relationship with wife, Renae: the pair have been married since 2007 and have three children together.

“I’ve probably been home too much lately, because I think there could be a thing with

seeing too much of each other and everyone going, oh, there’s you again,” Corser told Something To Talk About with a laugh.

Rodger Corser and his wife Renae Berry at the 2019 Logie Awards. Picture: AAP

“I think Renae’s like, can you please go and get a job?

“I’ve got a little bit to make up there, because there were years where I was working between

Sydney and Melbourne and Renae would have the kids really young and I’d only come up

on the weekends and so forth.

“So she had to put her things on the back burner for so long. So she’s still done the majority [on the home front] by far. But I’ve been glad that I’ve been home over the last couple of years to help out as well.”

The Floor premieres at 7.30pm on April 28 on the Nine Network and 9Now. For more from Stellar and the podcast Something To Talk About, click here.

See the full cover shoot and interview with Rodger Corser in Stellar today. Inside The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and Sunday Mail (SA).

Originally published as ‘Do you want the truth?’ Australian actor Rodger Corser reveals tough reality of entertainment industry