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Sorenson, a La Crosse Logan graduate, will have a major role as Paul Curtis in the “Law and Order: SVU” episode that airs at 9 p.m. Tuesday on NBC.
“I have two scenes with Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni, the stars of the show, both of whom were wonderful to work with,” Sorenson said. “And since I don’t get to see the show until it airs, I’m really excited to see how the editors are going to put it all together.
Sorenson said most New York actors have a “Law and Order” credit on their resume. “It’s a badge of distinction for the New York actor, so now I’ve earned mine,” he said.
In the episode, Sorenson said his parents are played by Tim Daly (Joe Hackett in “Wings”) and Kathy Baker (Dr. Jill Brock on “Picket Fences”).
“Both of these actors were tremendous to work with, both as actors and people,” Sorenson said. “The whole cast was fun and extremely talented.”
He said he is not allowed to say much about the episode, titled “Sin,” but it involves a tightly religious family torn apart by the death of an apparent stranger.
“Being on this particular ‘Law and Order’ show, which is my favorite of the franchised series, has been a personal goal of mine for two years now, so getting a chance to work on the show was a real milestone for me,” he said.
Sorenson, a 2003 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse theater arts graduate, moved to New York City and signed with the Paradigm agency last June after receiving a master of fine arts degree from Temple University in Philadelphia.
He said he has been auditioning nonstop since the move, and has landed small roles in a few TV shows, such as FX’s “Rescue Me.”
Sorenson said he was in the casting office, auditioning for another show, when the casting director for “Law and Order” offered him an immediate audition.
“I’ve auditioned for different parts in this show about four times in the past nine months, so that was how the casting director knew me,” he said. “And it was one of those, ‘In the right place at the right time’ moments.”
He said the biggest challenge is building a resume. He was turned down for a major television pilot this year, he said, because studio executives considered his resume too short.
“Even though I’ve been acting since high school and I’m highly trained, studios spend millions of dollars on these TV and film productions, and they always want to hire someone who has proven themselves somewhere else first,” Sorenson said.
“Also, a lot of people tune in to watch this show and you never know who is watching,” Sorenson said. “There is always that chance that someone will see me and say ‘Oh, he’s perfect for such-and-such.’”
The file on Corey Sorenson
Some of Corey Sorenson’s acting credits:
- Two episodes of the FX TV series, “Rescue Me,” last fall.
- “Kidnapped,” a short-lived NBC series that was filmed in New York.
- “State of Mind,” a new Lifetime series shooting in Los Angeles, starring Lili Taylor.
- Lead role in an independent short film, “Heartland,” the coming-of-age story about a young gay man from the Midwest.
- In May, he has a five-month contract at the Old Globe Shakespeare Festival in San Diego, where he will be playing Proteus in “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” and Laertes in “Hamlet.”
Terry Rindfleisch can be reached at trindfleisch@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8227.
