The present work deals with the stability and post-bifurcation response of isotropic magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). MREs are elastomers comprising a finite volume fraction of magnetizable iron particles, distributed randomly in the volume. Specifically, a nonlinear magnetoelastic film/substrate system is experimentally, numerically and theoretically exploited to obtain active control of surface roughness. The non-intuitive interplay between magnetic field and elastic deformation owes to material and geometry selection, namely, a ferromagnetic particle composite film bonded on a compliant passive foundation. Cooperation of two otherwise independent loading mechanisms--mechanical pre-compression and magnetic field--allows to bring the ...