Dieter Brummer as Detective Trevor Haken in Underbelly: The Golden Mile.
Can Nine's crime series reinvent a soapie career?
If Underbelly can make stars out of Gyton Grantley and Kat Stewart and revive the acting careers for Les Hill and Daniel Amalm, can it do the same for Dieter Brummer?
He is certainly hoping so.
The actor, now aged 33, returns to the third season of Underbelly: The Golden Mile in an expanded role as Detective Trevor Haken. He appeared in a smaller role in Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, but comes into his own as the story shifts into the background of the Wood Royal Commission.
"I was ecstatic to get a role in the second series and even happier to come through into the third series along with Daniel Roberts and Paul Tassone and Peter O'Brien," he says. "There's a few of us who came across from the second series, and it was great working with those guys."
Brummer's character gave key evidence to the Wood Royal Commission against his police colleagues. It forms one of the story spines for this third series, along with the rise of nightclub entrepreneur John Ibrahim (Firass Dirani).
"There are three main story arcs between John Ibrahim, Kim Hollingsworth [Emma Booth] and Trevor Haken and his corrupt mates," says Brummer.
Brummer was voted Logie's Most Popular Actor when he played "Shane Parrish" in Home and Away in the 1990's. His popularity extended from Australia to the UK, including the obligatory summer pantomime, but success at such a young age also took its toll.
"I did a few trips over there for pantomimes during the Christmas period, but in reality after that time I just wanted to relax in my own country and spend some time with friends," he says.
"I chose to take the best part of the last decade away from the industry and pursue other options."
After the best part of a decade out of the spotlight, he is optimistic Underbelly might allow him to reinvent himself and bring more acting opportunities.
"Definitely there's hope. I wouldn't speculate that it's a sure thing. Obviously this third series still has to get to air, and has to impress the audience as well as casting agents, producers, directors. So what's in store next I'm not 100 percent sure, but I've certainly got my fingers crossed that there's going to be more in the pipeline," he says.
But unlike Home and Away's "Marilyn" (Emily Symons), he rules out any chance of a return to Summer Bay.
"I don't think that's ever going to be a possibility given that my character ended up dying," he says. "So I don't think I'll ever be back."
Underbelly: The Golden Mile airs 8:30pm Sunday on Nine.
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