Ethan Daniel Corbett hasn’t always had such self-assurance. The actor, who is currently starring in the new gay murder-mystery series Laid Bare, which has multiple full-frontal scenes, disclosed that there was a period when he refused to even remove his shirt.
The 32-year-old, who was raised with pectus carinatum, also referred to as pigeon-chest, said that his most recent role challenged him because he now displays much more than just his torso.
In Tim O’Leary’s latest series, Corbett plays Alister, the son of affluent businessman Nikos Lambrakis, who owns a nude resort in Palm Springs, the setting for the show.
Being completely nude on screen was something Corbett had never done before, so he described the role as a fresh challenge.
“I want to do this” – Ethan Corbett challenging himself in Laid Bare nude scenes
He stated that he “always tries to get roles that push me in a certain way.” He was still unsure, but after reading the script, he changed his mind and went to the audition.
I thought, ‘This is fun,’ as soon as I started reading Tim O’Leary’s work. This is what I want to do. This is something I must do. And since the show seems like it will be a lot of fun, I have to watch it if I don’t reserve it,” Corbett remarked.
He acknowledged that filming naked on set came with a certain amount of vulnerability and that it was a mental challenge he had to get past. He declared, “I wanted to throw myself into it.” “So, rather than half-assing anything, I was prepared to fully commit and do it with a full ass.”
“I used to be completely mortified” – Corbett overcoming his body insecurities growing up pigeon-chested
These difficulties resulted from an insecure upbringing, to the point where he refused to remove his shirt when he and his siblings got into a water fight.
Corbett clarified, “I was born pigeon-chested, which is when your sternum grows out instead of the normal way.” “Being anywhere in public with my shirt off used to make me feel absolutely ashamed.”
He didn’t realize his insecurities were hurting him more than they were helping him until he was playing with his brother as a child and scalding hot water soaked through his T-shirt, causing second-degree burns.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of” – Corbett describing the moment his relationship with his body changed for the better
The actor remarked, “That was kind of a turning point for me.” “I’ve been thinking, ‘No, why?’ ever since. My body insecurities caused me to get hurt. There’s nothing to feel guilty about. I then began to turn it upside down.
Through college, he bravely accepted his body, describing how he threw himself “into the fire… ripping that band-aid off and doing exposure therapy,” as he put it.
After spending a few days at the nude hotel as guests before filming, Corbett and the other gay and trans men who were part of the show’s main cast quickly got to know one another.
“We all got comfortable with each other pretty much instantly” – Corbett on his Laid Bare co-stars staying at the nude hotel
“We just kind of hung out as guests there when we showed up, like a day or two before we started shooting,” he said. “Therefore, we all became at ease with each other almost immediately.”
Michael Deni (animal rights activist Liam McKay), Nicolas Zuluaga (adult film star Jesse Steele), Ephraim López (Steele’s partner, former professor Eric Barnard), Jason Caceres (Olympic athlete Cassidy Raines), Zack Rocklin-Waltch (socialite Barron Hemmings), Jaymes Hayden Rodriguez (publicist Bryan Byrne), and Marval Rex (fashion model Montana Briggs) are among his co-stars.
