He is perhaps best known for his role of Mac on Nothing Trivial, Loki on the Almighty Johnsons and Hayden Peters on hit show Outrageous Fortune.
Whilst visiting New Zealand in 2000, Cortese auditioned for the popular soap opera Shortland Street for the role of Geoff Greenlaw.
[3] Cortese relished the opportunity and returned to New Zealand to take the part, despite being threatened by those involved in the West End play that he would never work again.
He scored a guest starring role in fantasy series Maddigan's Quest and played the lead character, "John" opposite British actress Zöe Lucker on stage in Then Comes Love.
In 2006 he returned to his bad boy ways, playing Hayden Peters on Rachel Lang and James Griffin's Outrageous Fortune.
[2] Cortese was pleased to have scored the title role in Burying Brian, only to discover his character was to be killed off in the first episode.
In April 2007 Kees Armas Cortese was born by water birth at North Shore Hospital.