Shane Cortese
Encyclopedia
Shane Cortese is a New Zealand
actor
and singer, known for his role as the evil Dominic Thompson
on New Zealand soap opera
Shortland Street
and Hayden Peters on hit show Outrageous Fortune
. He was also a runner-up on Season 1 of NZ Dancing With The Stars
in 2005.
. After graduating from the Musical Theatre Course in 1993, he spent 10 years touring the UK in musicals, performing several times on London's prestigious West End. His performances won critical acclaim from UK reviewers.
Cortese has played the role of "Prince Charming" on stage twice; at the Norwich Theatre Royal (UK) in Cinderella (1999) and he briefly returned to New Zealand in 2000 to play Prince Charming
in Raymond Hawthorne's Auckland Theatre Company
production of Into the Woods
. He played Prince Percival Lostalot in Sleeping Beauty (2004).
In 2003 he returned again to New Zealand
to play the role of Dominic Thompson
on Shortland Street
, being listed as a main character until leaving the show in late 2004.
In 2005 he shed the bad-boy image when he scored a guest starring role in fantasy series Maddigan's Quest
. Late 2005 saw Shane play the lead character, "John" opposite British
actress Zöe Lucker
on stage in Then Comes Love. In late 2005 after appearing on Dancing With The Stars he hosted TV3's
So You Think You Can Dance. In 2006 until 2007 he returned to his bad boy ways, playing Hayden Peters on New Zealand's Outrageous Fortune
.
Cortese is also the patron for ACTA (Auckland City Theatre Academy), a youth theatre company training students aged 5–18 in musical theatre. He appeared with the students in The North Shore Times in an article describing his involvement with the school and its students.
. Partnered with dancer Nerida Lister he was named runner-up on June 20, 2005. Throughout the show there were rumours that they were dating despite the fact they were both in relationships.
In 2006 Cortese began directing Rock and Roll Heaven and in 2007 toured the show around New Zealand.
a month after his birth.
Shane and Nerida became engaged on 26 February 2008 and later married in early 2009. After landing Nerida at a west Auckland "pub", Nerida clams that Shane stuffs his pants with a sock, as seen at 2010 Takapuna Grammar "secret garden" fashion show.
It was revealed in the New Idea in November 2008, that Shane has a 15 year old daughter from a previous relationship.
Shane and Nerida welcomed a second son in July 2011 named Jett Patrick Cortese.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and singer, known for his role as the evil Dominic Thompson
Dominic Thompson
Dominic "Dom" Thompson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Shane Cortese and since the characters death, Dom has picked up an icon status for his explosive storylines....
on New Zealand soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
and Hayden Peters on hit show Outrageous Fortune
Outrageous Fortune (TV series)
Outrageous Fortune was a New Zealand comedy/drama television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and was produced by South Pacific Pictures...
. He was also a runner-up on Season 1 of NZ Dancing With The Stars
Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a New Zealand television series based on the British series Strictly Come Dancing. The show introduces eight local celebrities paired with professional ballroom danceers who each week compete against each other in a competition to impress a panel of judges and the viewing...
in 2005.
Career
Cortese trained at London's Central School of Speech and DramaCentral School of Speech and Drama
The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in London in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students...
. After graduating from the Musical Theatre Course in 1993, he spent 10 years touring the UK in musicals, performing several times on London's prestigious West End. His performances won critical acclaim from UK reviewers.
Cortese has played the role of "Prince Charming" on stage twice; at the Norwich Theatre Royal (UK) in Cinderella (1999) and he briefly returned to New Zealand in 2000 to play Prince Charming
Prince Charming
Prince Charming is a stock character who appears in a number of fairy tales. He is the prince who comes to rescue of the damsel in distress, and stereotypically, must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell...
in Raymond Hawthorne's Auckland Theatre Company
Auckland Theatre Company
Auckland Theatre Company is the largest professional theatre company in Auckland, New Zealand. It was founded in 1992 following the bankruptcy of Mercury Theatre, Auckland's original professional theatre company which had been the largest subsidised company in the country.The current artistic...
production of Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife brought acclaim...
. He played Prince Percival Lostalot in Sleeping Beauty (2004).
In 2003 he returned again to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to play the role of Dominic Thompson
Dominic Thompson
Dominic "Dom" Thompson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Shane Cortese and since the characters death, Dom has picked up an icon status for his explosive storylines....
on Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
, being listed as a main character until leaving the show in late 2004.
In 2005 he shed the bad-boy image when he scored a guest starring role in fantasy series Maddigan's Quest
Maddigan's Quest
Maddigan's Quest was a fantasy-based television series set in a post-apocalyptic future. It was based on an original concept by Margaret Mahy and was developed for television by Gavin Strawhan and Rachel Lang...
. Late 2005 saw Shane play the lead character, "John" opposite British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
actress Zöe Lucker
Zöe Lucker
Zöe Elizabeth Lucker is an English actress best known for playing the roles of Tanya Turner on ITV's Footballers' Wives and Vanessa Gold in EastEnders.-Career:...
on stage in Then Comes Love. In late 2005 after appearing on Dancing With The Stars he hosted TV3's
TV3 (New Zealand)
TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
So You Think You Can Dance. In 2006 until 2007 he returned to his bad boy ways, playing Hayden Peters on New Zealand's Outrageous Fortune
Outrageous Fortune (TV series)
Outrageous Fortune was a New Zealand comedy/drama television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and was produced by South Pacific Pictures...
.
Cortese is also the patron for ACTA (Auckland City Theatre Academy), a youth theatre company training students aged 5–18 in musical theatre. He appeared with the students in The North Shore Times in an article describing his involvement with the school and its students.
Dancing With The Stars (New Zealand, Season 1)
On 29 April 2005 he starred on the New Zealand version of Dancing With The StarsDancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a New Zealand television series based on the British series Strictly Come Dancing. The show introduces eight local celebrities paired with professional ballroom danceers who each week compete against each other in a competition to impress a panel of judges and the viewing...
. Partnered with dancer Nerida Lister he was named runner-up on June 20, 2005. Throughout the show there were rumours that they were dating despite the fact they were both in relationships.
Singing
Cortese has performed at the 2005 Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park and the 2005/2006 SkyCity Starlight Symphony. He's had lead roles in musical comedies, The New Rocky Horror Picture Show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Rock Hard, Elvis - The Musical, Rock and Roll Heaven and The Rocky Horror Show.In 2006 Cortese began directing Rock and Roll Heaven and in 2007 toured the show around New Zealand.
Personal life
In January 2006 Cortese and Nerida Lister announced they were dating, then in 2006 New Idea magazine announced that they were expecting their first baby. In April 2007 Kees Armas Cortese was born by water birth at North Shore Hospital, the first exclusive photos of Kees were shown in New Zealand magazine New IdeaNew Idea
New Idea is a long-running Australian weekly magazine published by Pacific Magazines and aimed at women.-History:The magazine was first published in 1902 by Fitchett Bros. Southdown Magazines purchased Fitchett Bros...
a month after his birth.
Shane and Nerida became engaged on 26 February 2008 and later married in early 2009. After landing Nerida at a west Auckland "pub", Nerida clams that Shane stuffs his pants with a sock, as seen at 2010 Takapuna Grammar "secret garden" fashion show.
It was revealed in the New Idea in November 2008, that Shane has a 15 year old daughter from a previous relationship.
Shane and Nerida welcomed a second son in July 2011 named Jett Patrick Cortese.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Joseph 2000 | Pharaoh | TV movie |
| 2003–2004 | Shortland Street Shortland Street Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in... |
Dominic Thompson Dominic Thompson Dominic "Dom" Thompson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Shane Cortese and since the characters death, Dom has picked up an icon status for his explosive storylines.... |
|
| 2004 | Inside | Michael | Short film |
| 2006 | Maddigan's Quest Maddigan's Quest Maddigan's Quest was a fantasy-based television series set in a post-apocalyptic future. It was based on an original concept by Margaret Mahy and was developed for television by Gavin Strawhan and Rachel Lang... |
Timon's Father | Episode: "Hillfolk" |
| 2006–present | Outrageous Fortune Outrageous Fortune Outrageous Fortune is a 1987 film written by Leslie Dixon, directed by Arthur Hiller, and stars Shelley Long and Bette Midler. The title is taken from Shakespeare's Hamlet Outrageous Fortune is a 1987 film written by Leslie Dixon, directed by Arthur Hiller, and stars Shelley Long and Bette Midler.... |
Hayden Peters | 50+ episodes |
| 2008 | Burying Brian Burying Brian Burying Brian is a New Zealand television series produced by Eyeworks Touchdown which premiered on Television New Zealand's TV ONE on 2 July 2008, and ran for 6 episodes. The series is about Jodie and her three female friends. At the beginning of the first episode, Jodie's husband Brian dies during... |
Brian Welch | 6 episodes |
| 2009 | Legend of the Seeker Legend of the Seeker Legend of the Seeker is a television series based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind. Distributed in U.S. by Disney-ABC Domestic Television, ABC Studios produced the series, which was its first foray into broadcast syndication, with Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and... |
Morwyn | Episode: "Marked" |
| 2011 | The Almighty Johnsons The Almighty Johnsons The Almighty Johnsons is a New Zealand fantasy comedy/drama television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and is produced by South Pacific Pictures. It began airing its first season of ten episodes in New Zealand on February 8, 2011.... |
Colin Gundersen/Loki | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Nothing Trivial Nothing Trivial Nothing Trivial is a New Zealand comedy-drama television series, produced by South Pacific Pictures. The series is created by the duo of Gavin Strawhan and the co creator of Outrageous Fortune, Rachel Lang... |
Mac | 13 episodes |