| Shane Cortese | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 August 1968 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse | Nerida Jantti |
Shane Cortese (born 13 August 1968) 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.
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Cortese trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. 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).[1][2]
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.[3]
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.[1]
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.
On 29 April 2005 he starred on the New Zealand version of Dancing With The Stars. Partnered with dancer Nerida Lister he was named runner-up on June 20, 2005.[4] Throughout the show there were rumours that they were dating despite the fact they were both in relationships.
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.[5][6]
In 2006 Cortese began directing Rock and Roll Heaven and in 2007 toured the show around New Zealand.[7][8]
In January 2006 Cortese and Nerida Lister announced they were dating,[9] 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 Idea a month after his birth.[10][11][12]
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.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Joseph 2000 | Pharaoh | TV movie |
| 2003–2004 | Shortland Street | Dominic Thompson | |
| 2004 | Inside | Michael | Short film |
| 2006 | Maddigan's Quest | Timon's Father | Episode: "Hillfolk" |
| 2006–present | Outrageous Fortune | Hayden Peters | 50+ episodes |
| 2008 | Burying Brian | Brian Welch | 6 episodes |
| 2009 | Legend of the Seeker | Morwyn | Episode: "Marked" |
| 2011 | The Almighty Johnsons | Colin Gundersen/Loki | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Nothing Trivial | Mac | 13 episodes |