Ethan Daniel Corbett reflects on full frontals in Laid Bare after body image struggles growing up (EXCLUSIVE)
"I was ready to fully commit and do it with a full ass instead of half-assing anything," Corbett tells Attitude
By Aaron Sugg
Ethan Daniel Corbett has not always been so body confident. Now starring in the new gay murder-mystery series Laid Bare, which features several full-frontal scenes, the actor revealed there was a time when he wouldn’t even take his shirt off.
Growing up with Pectus Carinatum, commonly known as pigeon-chest, the 32-year-old said his latest role tested him as he now shows far more than just his torso.
Starring as Alister in Tim O’Leary’s new series, Corbett plays the son of wealthy businessman Nikos Lambrakis, owner of a nude resort in Palm Springs, where the show is set.
Corbett said the role was a new challenge for him, as being fully nude on screen was something he had never done before.
“I want to do this” – Ethan Corbett challenging himself in Laid Bare nude scenes
“I kind of always strive for roles that challenge me in a certain way,” he tells Attitude. Still on the fence, he decided to read the script, which ultimately swayed him to audition.
“The moment I read Tim O’Leary’s writing, I was like, this is fun. I want to do this. I need to do this. And if I don’t book it, then I have to watch the show because it looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Corbett says.
He added that there was an element of vulnerability to filming nude on set, admitting it was a mental hurdle he had to overcome. “I wanted to throw myself into it,” he says. “So I was ready to fully commit and do it with a full ass instead of half-assing anything.”
“I used to be completely mortified” – Corbett overcoming his body insecurities growing up pigeon-chested
Those challenges stemmed from a childhood fraught with insecurities – so much so that he wouldn’t take his shirt off during water fights with his siblings.
“I was born pigeon-chested, which is when your sternum grows out instead of the normal way,” Corbett explains. “I used to be completely mortified to be anywhere public with my shirt off.”
It was only while playing with his brother as children, when scalding hot water soaked through his T-shirt and gave him second-degree burns, that he realised his insecurities were doing him more harm than good.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of” – Corbett describing the moment his relationship with his body changed for the better
“That was kind of a turning point for me,” the actor says. “Ever since that moment, I started thinking, ‘No, why?’ I got hurt because I was insecure about my body. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. And then I started flipping it on its head.”
Boldly embracing his body through college, he described throwing himself “into the fire… ripping that band-aid off and doing exposure therapy,” as he puts it.
Filming alongside several other gay and trans men as the show’s leading cast, Corbett said they quickly became comfortable with one another after staying at the nude hotel as guests for a couple of days prior to filming.
“We all got comfortable with each other pretty much instantly” – Corbett on his Laid Bare co-stars staying at the nude hotel
“We showed up like a day or two before we started shooting and we kind of just were hanging out as guests there,” he explains. “So we all got comfortable with each other pretty much instantly.”
His co-stars include: Jason Caceres (Olympic athlete Cassidy Raines), Zack Rocklin-Waltch (socialite Barron Hemmings), Jaymes Hayden Rodriguez (publicist Bryan Byrne), Marval Rex (fashion model Montana Briggs), Michael Deni (animal rights activist Liam McKay), Nicolas Zuluaga (adult film star Jesse Steele) and Ephraim López (Steele’s partner, former professor Eric Barnard).
For British viewers, the series is available on OUTflix with new episodes every Wednesday.
What is Pectus Carinatum (pigeon chest)?
• Pectus carinatum is a prominent chest caused by abnormal rib cartilage growth.
• Usually develops during growth spurts (ages 9–14) and is more common in boys.
• Mostly affects appearance only and is diagnosed by physical examination.
To learn more about the condition and how it can be treated, visit the official NHS Scotland official website.
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