Latest news with #Korsh
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Suits LA' Creator Says Meta ‘The Office' Cameo Is Just the Beginning
'Suits LA' went meta for its latest case, which that creator Aaron Korsh hopes will lead to more real-life Hollywood stars popping up on the NBC spinoff series. Episode 3, titled 'He Knew,' follows as Erica (Lex Scott Davis) helps 'The Office' star Brian Baumgartner — a client of the firm — with his desire to seek advice on pivoting his acting career from comedy into serious dramatic roles. At the start of the episode he demands the firm set him up with a meeting with Tom Hanks, but both Erica and her assistant Leah (Alice Lee) know they could never make that happen. Instead, Leah sets up a meeting between the actor behind Kevin Malone and Patton Oswalt, who also plays himself and comes with sage advice for the veteran comedian. The enounter was equal parts earnest and hilarious, as the two actors bickered about their standing in the entertainment business. 'The two of them were willing to make fun of themselves, so they really committed to the part,' Korsh told TheWrap. 'It was great.' Korsh said that the cameos came about as he hoped to set up 'Suits LA' to comment or poke fun at Hollywood with some of its weekly cases. He teased actor Enrico Colantoni ('The English Teacher,' 'Veronica Mars') makes a similar cameo later in the season as another client. 'The dream would be that people start reaching out [to come on the show,]' he said. 'When people see what it is that we're doing, they might enjoy wanting to try it. It involves a lot of trust on an actor's part for them to come on. But I think it's worked out beyond my wildest dreams. I hope we can continue to do it.' In the meantime, 'Suits LA' will be welcoming original series star Gabriel Macht in next week's new episode, kicking off a multi-episode arc for Harvey Specter. The episode also followed as Ted' (Stephen Amell) dealt with the latest hurdle in the big murder case of the season so far. After his client's wife hires Stuart (Josh McDermitt) to help with her divorce proceedings, tensions reach new heights between the former partners. Korsh said the two very different cases present the variety of cases that the new spinoff will take on throughout Season 1. 'Where the original 'Suits' was mainly focused on corporate law and, to some degree, the characters were like a hybrid of lawyers and investment bankers, in this case, one is criminal law and then we have the Hollywood-specific cases that allow us to have real actors playing heightened versions of themselves,' he said. 'That lets us have a lot of fun at ourselves and at the entertainment business in general.' 'Suits LA' airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and airs the next day on Peacock. The post 'Suits LA' Creator Says Meta 'The Office' Cameo Is Just the Beginning appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Suits Star Rick Hoffman Returning as Louis Litt on NBC Spinoff
Rick Hoffman is bringing some Louis Litt energy to Suits LA. The actor, who starred in all nine seasons of the original USA Network drama, will reprise his role in an upcoming episode of the NBC offshoot, TVLine has confirmed. More from TVLine Suits LA Boss: 'Harvey Is Not the Only Suits Character We're Going to See' Suits LA Boss Talks Premiere's Cataclysmic Split, That Twist Ending and Harvey's Impending Arrival TVLine Items: Sam Worthington Leads Harlan Coben Series, Emmys Set Date and More Hoffman is expected to appear in just one episode, but the door is open for him to return if the series is renewed for Season 2, according to our sister site Deadline, which first reported the news. He will be the second cast member from the OG Suits to grace the spinoff: As previously announced, Gabriel Macht has booked a three-episode arc as charming prosecutor-turned-corporate lawyer Harvey Specter. Hoffman and Macht's episodes will not overlap, per Deadline. Suits and Suits LA creator Aaron Korsh recently told TVLine that Macht is just the beginning when it comes familiar faces on the new show. 'Harvey is not the only Suits original character that we're going to see this season. There will be at least one other original Suits character. I'm not going to say at what level,' Korsh revealed. Korsh added that his goal is to have any cast members from the USA Network drama — which also starred Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle, Gina Torres and Sarah Rafferty, among others — 'pop up, as organically as possible, and not flood the show with a parade of old Suits characters.' 'I know that's what fans want, but I feel like if it's just a parade of old Suits characters, it would sort of harm the new franchise,' Korsh continued, 'and I don't think it would do a lot of favors to the old franchise either.' As for Harvey's upcoming appearance, he will be seen in the flashback timeline before he, eventually, pops up in the present and, hopefully, reconnects with Stephen Amell's character, entertainment lawyer Ted Black. 'Ted was a prosecutor in New York at the time that Harvey was working in New York, so they, clearly, would've known each other,' Korsh shared. 'Now, they didn't work in the same office. Ted was a U.S. Attorney, but Harvey was in the District Attorney's office. So what I came up with was they both played in this prosecutors' league baseball team.' Suits LA airs Sundays at 9/8c on NBC. Best of TVLine Stars Who Almost Played Other TV Roles — on Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, Lost, Gilmore Girls, Friends and Other Shows TV Stars Almost Cast in Other Roles Fall TV Preview: Who's In? Who's Out? Your Guide to Every Casting Move!
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Suits LA' Had to Limit ‘the Iconic Goddamns' for NBC
Note: This story contains spoilers from 'Suits LA' Episode 1. 'Suits LA' made its NBC debut Sunday night, marking the celebrated cable franchise turned streaming hit show's next chapter. Only this time, it's on broadcast television. Aaron Korsh, creator of the original 'Suits' as well as spinoffs 'Pearson' and 'Suits LA,' knew that this new iteration not only had to surpass sky-high expectations from fans, it also faced adjusting its tone and storytelling approach for its new home at NBC. 'Broadcast is a different approach to making television. It definitely has some advantages in that you get a wider audience,' the showrunner told TheWrap. 'The cons are that we can't use the language that we used to use… We're limited on the number of iconic 'Suits' goddamns we can have.' Korsh said that, after some back and forth with standards and practices, he got to keep three goddamns for Episode 1 — 'but if we had a 'Jesus Christ' then that counted as a goddamn.' But a win is a win for the Los Angeles-set spinoff series, which centers around Ted Black (Stephen Amell) and his team of lawyers mixing elements of entertainment and criminal law. The first episode introduced a clash of titans between Ted and his longtime partner Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt) who, as a merger loomed with another firm run by Ted's ex Samantha (Rachelle Goulding), decided leave Ted out of the deal and take most of the firm with him instead. That included Ted's mentee Rick Dodsen (Bryan Greenberg), who surprised Ted by joining the other side after he rejected Rick's request to be promoted to head of entertainment law. But Ted was not left completely alone. Rick's rival Erica Rollins (Lex Scott Davis) chose to stay loyal to her boss and landed the coveted promotion. Concurrently, Ted was haunted by a troubled past in New York, where he worked as a criminal prosecutor. The chaos gave Korsh and the creative team the chance to push the boundaries even further, when in a moment of frustration Ted talked about his desire to bring down the 'mother—' who betrayed him. 'The way the rules work is he has to stop himself, he cannot form the F with his mouth, even if you take the sound out,' Korsh said. 'It's a new set of rules.' Though fans know 'Suits LA' will welcome original series star Gabriel Macht to reprise his role as Harvey Specter sometime in Season 1, the pilot episode let the show stand on its own by keeping the focus on Ted and the Southern California lawyers in his orbit. But Korsh and team did sneak a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment alluding to the show's connection to the overall 'Suits' franchise. Midway through the episode, Ted holds a meeting in his office at the firm. As the scene plays out, the background is blurred, hinting at the vast view of the city. But atop a table behind Ted's desk sat a framed photo that was noticeably not blurred. We don't get a close-up of the photo, but it does look like one featured on the 'Suits LA' trailer, which shows Ted and Harvey together as Ted talks about how they were longtime friends back in New York. 'If you pay attention, you'll see it, and if you don't, you won't,' Korsh said. 'I was positive that if you put something like that in, fans are going to find it… they pour over this stuff. 'But now that they've been running the promos and actually holding the picture and showing it, I think fans are going to see it all the more,' he added. Korsh wouldn't share details on when Macht will begin his three episode recurring arc, but teased that Harvey is not the only original series character who will make an appearance for a crossover. 'I don't want it to just be a parade of old 'Suits' stars. When we were in the original show you didn't have people constantly flying out to California to go do things,' Korsh said. 'We're trying to be delicate about that.' 'Suits LA' airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and airs the next day on Hulu. The post 'Suits LA' Had to Limit 'the Iconic Goddamns' for NBC appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meghan Markle Has an ‘Open Invitation' to Return to 'Suits', Says Show Creator Aaron Korsh (Exclusive)
Meghan Markle has an open invitation to step back into Rachel Zane's shoes! While attending the premiere of the show's spinoff, Suits LA, in California on Thursday, Feb. 20, Suits creator Aaron Korsh spoke about the possibility of a cameo from the Duchess of Sussex following her exit from the legal drama in 2018. 'So, look, to me, we have thought about whether it be Meghan or any of the other cast members coming on and playing themselves as an actor,' Korsh, 58, exclusively tells PEOPLE. 'I think for me that's a little ... My brain blows up at the thought of that. 'So I think it blows up the world too much,' he continues. 'Obviously, if Meghan wants to come back under any circumstances, Meghan can come back.' Related: The Cast of 'Suits': Where Are They Now? When asked if the Duchess of Sussex has an open invitation to rejoin the cast of the NBCUniversal series, Korsh adds, 'Of course. Of course. Always. But I think realistically, it would be too much of an explosion of the fourth wall to do that. Yeah.' Suits LA is set to debut on Feb. 23 in the same universe as the original legal drama but with a different cast. As previously reported by PEOPLE, the spinoff was announced shortly after the original series, which is set in New York, had a resurgence in popularity on Netflix. Meghan was introduced as paralegal Rachel Zane in season 1 of the drama. The series marked Meghan's breakout role, with the 43-year-old appearing in 108 episodes before exiting at the end of season 7. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ahead of marrying Prince Harry in May 2018, the Duchess of Sussex's character was written out of the series, with Rachel moving to Seattle after marrying onscreen boyfriend Mike Ross, played by Patrick J. Adams. Korsh told the BBC back in 2017 that he was taking 'a gamble' by penning a storyline that involved Meghan leaving the drama, months before Harry, 40, proposed in November 2017. "I knew from a year ago that this relationship was burgeoning,' Korsh told BBC at the time. "And I had a decision to make because I didn't want to intrude and ask her, 'Hey what's going on and what are you going to do?' " "So collectively with the writers, we decided to take a gamble that these two people were in love and it was going to work out,' he continued of the couple, who started dating in July 2016. Related: Meghan Markle Thought She 'Did a S----y Job' in Her Suits Audition but the Show's Creator Recalls Her Coming in 'Spectacularly' Meghan and Harry announced their engagement on Nov. 27, 2017, while her final episode of Suits aired in April 2018 —just weeks before they tied the knot on May 19, 2018. 'I don't see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change,' Meghan said of leaving Suits in her and Harry's first joint interview in November 2017. 'It's a new chapter, right? And also, keep in mind, I've been working on [Suits] for seven years. We were very, very fortunate to have that sort of longevity on a series.' 'I've ticked this box, and I feel very proud of the work I've done there, and now it's time to work with [Harry] as a team,' she added. Read the original article on People
Los Angeles Times
17-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
No one has higher expectations for ‘Suits LA' than the creator of the ‘Suits' universe
Aaron Korsh hates thinking about expectations. He sees it as a pointless mind game that he has no real control over. But when you're the creator of a cable legal drama — in this case, 'Suits' — that concluded nearly six years ago and became, to the surprise of many, the most-streamed show of 2023 when it hit Netflix, it's impossible to be oblivious to the pending opinions. But Korsh insists he's more concerned about meeting the bar he's set for himself and the quasi spinoff series, launching Sunday on NBC, to worry about everyone else's. 'I'm incredibly stressed out all the time with the totality of making this thing be something that I feel like I'm proud of,' Korsh says on the set of 'Suits LA' earlier this month while sitting in a corner nook lined with law books on shelves. 'But because of that, I don't really think about how it's going to be received at all because I have zero control over that. The only thing I can control is, do I love it? Am I proud?' Korsh, 58, is not usually on the 'Suits LA' set — most of his time is spent with the show's writers at a rented office space across town on the Fox lot in Century City — but he appreciates the ability to drop in when he can, especially for key scenes in the show's world building. He didn't get to do it as easily or as often with the flagship series, which was shot in Toronto. Back then, Korsh was a first-time TV creator and showrunner helming one of the vestiges of USA network's 'blue sky' era, which consisted of bright and breezy dramas like 'White Collar' and 'Monk.' His glossy legal drama, which centered on hot shot corporate attorney Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and the young guy with an insane memory (Patrick J. Adams) that he hired to be his associate even though he never attended law school, was originally conceived to revolve around investment bankers, Korsh's former profession. But it became a legal drama because it was easier to create an episodic narrative around cases. When 'Suits' premiered in June 2011, typically a slower period for TV, the biggest hits then were tentpole reality fare like 'American Idol' and 'Dancing With the Stars.' And Netflix, which began as a DVD-by-mail business, was just beginning to grow its streaming division and move into creating original content. Now, Korsh is a few days into filming the seventh episode on a soundstage on the NBCUniversal lot, and is sitting in front of an assortment of monitors, absorbed by the scene playing out on screen. A group of the show's fictional lawyers are convening for a partner's meeting in a glass conference room inside the firm's luxe offices. Even in this fictional world of high stakes, just as in real life, the meeting could have been an email. But tone is being established. And that has Korsh's focus. A side character, already eliciting some whispered chuckles from the show's out-of-earshot team members as the scene unfolds, improvises a line about Harvard — the Ivy central to the lore of 'Suits' — that causes Korsh to yelp with laughter. For Korsh, who got his break in television as a writer's assistant on sitcoms, it's those moments of levity that became as integral to 'Suits' over its nine-season run as the characters' tension and power playing. So, he revels when they unfold organically, even if he isn't quite sure if this zinger will make the final cut. 'Aaron's writing has a very specific rhythm and tone to it,' says Anton Cropper, who directed on the original 'Suits' and returns for the spinoff as an executive producer, in between takes of the scene. 'That is part of what makes this original series so special. I don't think he's hard to make laugh. But when a moment does surprise him, it's fun.' 'Suits LA,' like its predecessor, isn't what it initially set out to be. While working on the original 'Suits,' Korsh had an idea for a show about Hollywood dealmakers anchored by a former prosecutor-turned-agent. He says it is loosely inspired by an agent who pursued him as a client; the agent spent his previous legal career putting away members of the mob. It wasn't until after 'Suits' wrapped, and pandemic-forced listlessness set in, that Korsh felt motivated to explore the idea on the page. The project was known as 'Ted' then. Korsh was in talks about it twice with NBCUniversal Television. (Netflix boss Ted Sarandos has also stated publicly that Korsh shopped it to the streamer.) The first time, the note was given to turn the agents into — you guessed it — lawyers. Just as Korsh saw how that tweak made the original 'Suits' better, he saw the narrative potential this time around too. 'And it wasn't that difficult. I added the criminal law element as opposed to just entertainment law to give the show a bit of a wider foundation,' he says. He also says the original pilot was flashback-heavy, with roughly 15 scenes set in the past. A note was also given to remove them all, he says. He got rid of some over the course of development. ('I'm gonna tell this flashback story throughout the course of the first season,' he says.) Even with the changes, however, it was passed over by the studio. But the long-gestating idea finally met its moment after a series of events: there was executive restructuring at the studio, the dual Hollywood strikes commenced, and the Netflix effect hit 'Suits.' 'I was 150% sure that the day the strike was over, I was going to get a call from them [NBCU] saying 'we want to do this,'' says Korsh days later when we reconvene at his office. 'I didn't know that they were going to say, 'We want to call it 'Suits LA.'' I was perfectly fine with it, though. I don't really care what the title of the show is.' 'Suits LA' ditches the high-rise battles for Tinseltown-style face-offs with a new group of ambitious and stylishly dressed lawyers. Stephen Amell ('Arrow') anchors the series as Ted Black, a former federal prosecutor from New York with a troubled parental relationship who has reinvented himself as a heavyweight entertainment lawyer representing some of Hollywood's biggest names at Black Lane, the firm he started with his best friend, criminal lawyer Stuart Lane ('The Walking Dead's' Josh McDermitt). They're joined by two ambitious proteges, played by Bryan Greenberg and Lex Scott Davis, battling it out for the coveted title of head of entertainment. It sets the stage for backstabbing, strained loyalties, romantic possibilities and plenty of name-dropping — albeit with considerably less curse words than the original 'Suits.' And while the real-life intersection of entertainment and the legal world offer plenty of inspiration, don't expect a ripped-from-the-headlines take on the Justin Baldoni-Blake Lively case anytime soon — though some of the show's writers admit to discussing the Hollywood drama. 'Suits LA' may be an unintentional spinoff from Korsh's legal universe, but it's not the first. 'Pearson' was an offshoot that followed Jessica Pearson, Harvey's high-powered mentor played by Gina Torres, as she left law and entered Chicago politics. It launched in 2019, but was canceled after one season. Korsh is quick to note his pride at the attempt, but suspects its darker tone may have made it less appealing to 'Suits' fans. 'Suits LA,' like 'Pearson,' will feature some characters from the original; Macht will reprise his role as Harvey in a recurring guest stint as Ted's former colleague. That's where expectations come into play. During its original run, 'Suits' was one of the top-rated cable shows — and even spawned adaptations in South Korea and Japan. But it gained a new, bigger life in the streaming era. (In addition to Netflix, the series streams on Peacock.) U.S. viewers watched 57.7 billion minutes of 'Suits' in 2023, making it the most-viewed series that year, according to Nielsen. The curiosity surrounding Meghan Markle's most notable TV credit — as longtime star paralegal Rachel Zane in the series — because of her ties to the British royal family, likely contributed to some of the interest. Clips of the show made the rounds on TikTok. Brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics and T-Mobile sought cast members for 2024 Super Bowl ads. Macht, Adams, Torres and Sarah Rafferty, in a nod to the show's resurgence, were invited to present that year at the Golden Globes. Adams and Rafferty, who played Donna, the all-knowing assistant-turned COO in the original series, also launched a podcast, 'Sidebar,' late last year to engage with fans. Revisiting the series as a viewer, Adams has some thoughts on why 'Suits' found a second wind: 'Aaron and his team were really good at continuing to throw really interesting and dynamic problems at this group of people, week after week. ... But fundamentally, what they did so well, and what we did so well, is we built that family and we made it a group of people that viewers wanted to return to and and wanted to see succeed, or fail, in some cases.' Rafferty echoed the sentiment: 'You felt his [Aaron's] investment in the person you're embodying, not just plugging the plot along,' she says. 'I think it is magical that the energy of these characters live on.' Some fans are curious to see how 'Suits LA' fits alongside its predecessor. Others are skeptical, believing that it'll feel like a copy-and-paste job of the original characters and their dynamics. Amell, who says he experienced similar skepticism when he was cast as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow in the CW's superhero drama, isn't worried about it. 'It's weird because I'm playing a new character that a lot of people feel like is a reimagining of another character, but he's not,' he says, noting that Macht sent a text of support to Korsh that was shared with the 'Suits LA' team. 'Internet commentary is a very, very loud but very, very small portion of the overall fandom at large. If you are adamant that you're not watching anything but the original show, God bless you. I kind of feel bad for you because it's the same creative team and it's an extension of the universe. None of it really matters until the show airs.' Korsh puts it simply: ''Suits LA' is certainly not a copy of 'Suits. These characters are unique people with their own drives, their own desires, their own senses of humor, and their own things that tick them off.' Overseeing any series, let alone one with an engaged and protective fan base, is already a stressful undertaking. But last month Korsh also found himself confronted with the unthinkable: leading a show amid crisis — in this case, the wildfires sweeping through parts of L.A. It was a scramble trying to make the right call under pressure. Production shut down on Jan. 8, a Wednesday, as the Palisades and Eaton fires raged. Korsh was asked by studio heads that same day if shooting should resume in the morning — 'I said no. Though, I will say, I did not think I was the person that should be making the decision,' he says. Then, as Friday loomed, the studio communicated to Korsh that he had the greenlight to shoot the next day but was not obligated to do so. He chose to keep production on pause, though the writers continued to work in that time at their discretion. Greenberg, who stars in the series as entertainment lawyer Rick Dodson, lost his home, and Korsh said at least one member from the show's crew did as well. That weekend, after consulting with his agent, Korsh had his line producer check in with the crew to gauge their feelings about returning. Then, the decision was made to restart work. 'It was surreal,' he says, recalling those harrowing days, careful to make sure his emotions don't strain his words. 'I don't think I have truly — or anybody I know has, really — grappled with what has happened ... I really didn't feel prepared to make the decisions, but with the collective wisdom of everyone, I think I am happy with the decisions we made.' Being the decision maker for a TV series was not the path he was originally on. Korsh grew up in a suburb just outside of Philadelphia; his father was a computer science professor and his mother is a psychologist. He, however, wanted to be a businessman like his wealthier uncle: 'I wanted to pursue making money.' After studying finance at Wharton, he landed on Wall Street when it was still reeling from the 1987 stock market crash. He was making the money he was after, but he hated his job. Around that time, a former college roommate died, forcing Korsh to confront his own mortality. It provoked a negative attitude — he describes himself then as a 'bratty young kid' — leading to a wake-up call. Korsh's boss pulled him aside and gave him three choices: change his attitude and stay, quit or get fired. Korsh quit. He eventually moved to Los Angeles and landed a temporary real estate investment job. He became a TV writer almost by chance. A college friend who was a TV writer took him along to a table read of a sitcom pilot starring Bryan Cranston, before his 'Malcolm in the Middle' and 'Breaking Bad' fame. 'No one knew I wasn't a writer so I just sat there and got to watch what they did and I couldn't believe it,' he says . 'I was like, 'This is what you do for a living? This is the greatest thing ever.' This is what I want to do.' Korsh obsessively called around. He landed a production assistant gig on 'Everybody Loves Raymond' thanks to a production coordinator who was intrigued that a former investment banker was eager to take a minimum-wage job. The next year, the show's co-creator Phil Rosenthal made an extra writer's assistant position for Korsh. He worked as a writer's assistant at different shows for eight years before landing a writing spot on the short-lived ABC sitcom 'Notes From the Underbelly.' But it was his brief time on 'The Deep End,' a show about a group of young L.A. lawyers, that gave him a taste of the legal world that would come to define his career since. When asked if he was able to enjoy the experience of 'Suits' as he made it, Korsh chuckles. He points out that when the 'Suits' pilot was shot, his son was about 6 months old; his daughter was born while the show was in its second season. 'I was a first-time parent and unprepared for all three of my children, and I felt torn between my two responsibilities,' he says. 'I was in a bad mood much of the time. Season 4, I was the angriest, I think. And I actually called Phil Rosenthal ... to talk to him about it. He was like, 'Is it because the network won't let you do what you want to do?' I'm like, 'No, they'll let me do whatever I want. It's just a totality of how hard it is.'' That's not what stands out for him now, though. 'I tend to look backwards with nostalgia, rose-colored glasses, which I'm happy that I do,' he says. 'I only remember the positive and I miss it ... I'm lucky to have this job and I was incredibly satisfied with the results of those nine years. The other side of hard things is deep satisfaction and growth.' Right now, as he moves past the halfway point of shooting the first season and is days away from the 'Suits LA' premiere, Korsh is enjoying the moment even with the stress on his shoulders. 'I'm older and I'm approaching it differently — I'm not sure how,' Korsh says. 'I'm definitely less obsessive about the words being exactly right or things being exactly as I had imagined or as good as I've imagined, but I'm not less obsessive about making the show as good as it can be. Right this second, I'm feeling pretty good. I am very happy with everything we've gotten.'
