Here’s a tidbit of information for those hoping to retire off of their future Jeopardy! winnings: at the end of 2023, no television show had ever been streamed more in a single year than Suits. The legal drama premiered on the USA Network in that bygone era of 2011 and commenced its stealing of the crown, and with it, the attention of millions of new fans. Of all the ways that streaming has altered the world of television, the cultural rebirth of series past cannot be ignored. It’s clear that more than ever, current audiences crave the propensity of that writing (oh those perfectly placed one-liners), the comfort of the legal procedural, and of course those flawless suits adorned about luxurious, New York high rises. It seems only fair that Los Angeles, too, be given a chance to house this sleek world.

In the wake of the tragedy of the Los Angeles fires and in the spirit of renewal, a few billboards for NBC’s new series Suits LA hover overtop the city, reading a slogan that echoes with a newfound gravity: West Coast Represent. For its stars Lex Scott Davis, Bryan Greenberg, and Josh McDermitt (who play lawyers Erica Rollins, Rick Dodsen and Stuart Lane, respectively) much is expected. Could it be the universe helping to mold their characters from the outside in? The urgency that comes with representing a city under duress; the weight of pre-existing audience expectations all while revealing the pressures of high-stakes litigation? Well, that all might be a bit of a stretch. But the three stars at the center of this world (along with Stephen Amell) certainly don’t take any of those pressures, whether for themselves or their characters, lightly. And that shouldn’t be confused with not being up to the task. Lex, Bryan and Josh come from different walks of life, but right now they are all dancing to the same tune. 

How does one move about in a new space attached to an old rhythm? Does the artist carry with them the responsibility of originality, and then what is owed to the audience’s preconceived wants? Along with Suits creator Aaron Korsh and much of the original writing staff, Lex, Bryan, and Josh resolve these questions as a unit. Suits LA brings with it a new plot, new characters and a new city. But in talking to the cast, terms like “tone” and “feel” are thrown around frequently. There is an evident desire by all three to generate uniqueness through a familiar framework—to drive their audience up and down Rodeo Drive in a Manhattan town car. If creating new television is a dance—individually, in terms of developing the rhythms of your own character, and collectively, in terms of the cohesion with which those many rhythms must mingle—then our cast is nothing if not fully dedicated to the movements. We caught up with Lex, Bryan, and Josh to discuss their temporary roles as attorneys, the excitement around the show, their lives away from work and more.

LEX SCOTT DAVIS

Before the notion of acting had ingratiated itself in her mind, Lex Scott Davis was a dancer. She describes herself as having “grown up in the studio setting,” developing an artistic voice born of motion and physical prowess. It was only later in life that her love of performance emerged in the form of acting in front of the camera. At the moment, her workdays involve movement of a new kind—one of litigious strength and rigidity. If the day-to-day practices of West Coast law are foreign to her, it doesn’t mean audiences won’t see much of Davis in her new Suits LA character. 

Lawyer Erica Rollins is nothing if not ambitious and capable. And those are two words all but impossible to avoid when describing the Baltimore native, who is currently tasked with performing the toughest routine of them all. Davis is a mother of three who balances her home life with not only acting but production as well. Oh, and she owns and operates a business in the form of Ego Lab Studio: a studio rental space for creatives of all kinds to develop, produce, and shape their projects in an integrated setting. 

If it all sounds like too much, that’s probably because, for most, it would be. But certain people do seem to have that air of greatness and inevitability about them, and Davis fits the mold to a tee. Having appeared in films such as The First Purge and the recently released Ricky Stanicky alongside Zac Efron, Suits LA represents not only a new world, but amongst the highest profile roles in a still-blossoming career.

What was your familiarity with the Suits universe before landing the role of Erica Rollins? Were there people in your orbit especially excited given the original run has such a huge following?

I definitely knew what Suits was, but I did not watch it when it was out. When I got the audition is when I started going down the rabbit hole. I didn’t expect to love it so much. I just wanted to keep watching it. I had [watched it] really so I could just understand the tone and understand the world so I could prepare myself for the audition. It definitely felt like the whole town wanted to be a part of this project.

Is it difficult for you to try to maintain the spirit of the original show in concert with trying to do something fresh? 

What’s nice is that the majority of our writer’s room is from the original Suits. So, there’s not too much veering off from the world, from being in the universe and understanding that tone. It makes it easier for me to fall right into stride, and just click because I have the proper guidance to own up to what the original was, and yet I’m different. So it’s automatically going to be different. There’s a different style that I bring, a different voice that I carry, and it represents a different coast. There are a lot of similarities, and I definitely like to look at this like it’s a brother-sister show as opposed to distant cousins. There are a lot more similarities at the core of it. They’re all go-getters. They’re striving to become something, and they’re all striving to bust their ass and protect their clients.

Are most of those elements of Erica’s character there on the page? How much of it is a process of developing the character on your own, and how much of yourself do you bring to the character?

The bones [of the character] are on the page. I have to fill in all the gaps as the human being portraying what is on the page. I love that. I accept that as a beautiful challenge and a learning exercise. Where I think I can relate to Erica is how much she has to fight for something. It’s easy for me to find things to latch on to, even if it’s not directly the same story, there’s a piece of Erica in Lex that is true, that is very dedicated. We work hard for things that we’re passionate about. We’re confident but we’re still able to recognize the greatness in the people around us, and we’re not too confident where we can’t be a sponge and continue to be an open book and learn something new.

Could you tell me about your business, Ego Lab Studios? What is the importance to you of owning a creative space?

Ego Lab is my fourth child. I grew up in the studio setting as a dancer my entire life. And as an only child, being afforded to go to this studio on a weekly basis, I was able to cultivate a massive community of artists that all became family. I love what that studio did for us. It’s the foundation of the artist I am today. And moving far from home, being a transplant and an only child, I’m constantly seeking community, and seeking the village that I’m used to having back home. I had been sitting on this idea for so many years, and the strike was one of those moments where it made me wish I had something to call my own because of the uncertainty. Wanting to invest in my own idea was really big for me, and that really felt like the right time to invest in my own idea. We’re barely a year old. We’re very new and I’m happy I opened those doors when I did.

How do you balance life as an actor, a businessperson and a parent? Does it ever feel like a new identity needs to be adopted depending on which of those three spaces you are occupying?

I wear many hats. I am stretched in multiple directions. It’s a lot to juggle, but I think I’ve always been a really good multitasker, so it’s not often I feel overwhelmed. I also have support too. My husband is also a creative, and is very hands-on and supportive. We fill in each other’s gaps, and this has been for years. Sometimes I’m in front of the camera and sometimes he’s in front of the camera. We just do this trade-off. It’s this beautiful dance we’ve figured out. My kids are pretty young, so it is an adjustment now being post-pandemic with toddlers, and still back in front of the camera, still producing and now owning this studio. I’m stretched, but I like it. I like the challenge.

I’m really active in my parenting style. We don’t watch too much TV during the week, but we do listen to music, and we do dance. I remember the other night I got off work, it might’ve been a 14-hour day, and I came in and my son told Alexa to play Missy Elliott’s “Lose Control.” And then we all just started dancing! I hadn’t even taken my coat off yet. So my days are extremely long. It’s an interesting juggle, but I want to show up and feel like I have all the energy in the world to dedicate to them. Because they deserve it. All of these things get my undivided attention throughout the day.

BRYAN GREENBERG

If you exist in modern culture, there’s a good chance you’ve come across Bryan Greenberg’s work. His co-star Josh McDermitt even jokes that he’s the new Kevin Bacon, pointing to his having worked with just about all of Hollywood at this point. Greenberg’s filmography does in fact read like the rolodex of a well-connected entertainment lawyer, though from the outside looking in, that would seem one of the few things he has in common with his new Suits LA character, Rick Dodson. But for an actor who works “from the inside out,” those superficial differences might simply be a hurdle to pass through in discovering what of Bryan Greenberg is found in the quick-witted, if not a bit cocky, attorney.

The Omaha-born and St. Louis-raised actor spent much of the formative years of his career working in New York after graduating from NYU, reflected in the abundance of New Yorkers portrayed in his acting credits and his passionate Knicks fandom. But it is Los Angeles that the experienced performer also calls home, with Suits LA proving the rare chance for Greenberg to realize the spirit of his other city through his art. Just a few years removed from becoming a father for the first time, and with his directorial debut recently completed in the form of the 2024 film Junction, Greenberg’s personal and professional life suddenly appear anew. All that attention that may have been put exclusively into acting is now split—between different avenues of creative fulfillment, and between professional life and familial responsibility.

Were you a fan of Suits before you signed on for this project? How familiar were you with this world?

I became familiar with it when it blew up on Netflix two summers ago. But I’ve got to admit, I’m behind. It’s not a slight on any of the shows, but I watch basketball, I take care of the kids, and I’m working on my own stuff. But I did watch the pilot after I booked it, and I got a feel for it and was like “this show’s great.” I just wanted to understand the rhythms, the world, and really the tone. That’s the hardest thing to capture when you’re doing any project, because that’s not something you can really describe. I stopped [watching], and I wanted to watch more. But I just didn’t want to get caught up in the other actors’ rhythms. I wanted to be cognizant of creating our own universe and our own world.

Is it important for you to create something tonally that’s at least partially different from the original run of Suits?

I think it’s more important for me to have my own rhythms, and not get caught in my own character. I don’t want to be thinking, “Oh, that’s what you did for Mike,” or “What would Mike or Harvey do?” As an actor I need to put my blinders on. As a fan, I want to watch it too, but as an actor I need to protect the character a little bit.

Is it hard for you to separate Bryan Greenberg from Rick Dodson?

I always find that the truth is what we’re going for. I find that finding parts of my personality that I can relate to, that are in the character, is preferable to putting on these affectations. I’ve done that in the past with other characters. But in my opinion, the best actors are the people who bring themselves to the role. This is a whole philosophy on acting that we could get into, but that’s how I approach it.

How do you move between genres—between film and television and even acting and directing? Is there a process to shifting between those identities?

After I directed Junction, I found that acting was very easy. Because I didn’t just direct it. I wrote it, I produced it, and I was acting in it as well. I’m like, “Now I can show up and hit a mark and that’s it? I don’t have to prep the location or work with everybody else’s jobs?” Not saying acting is actually that easy, but that was such a huge undertaking for me. I feel that acting is much simpler now. It is nice to be able to worry about your character and not the whole world. I don’t know, I’ve definitely put my 10,000 hours in at this point. Even if my life is in shambles, when I step on set…that’s the one thing I really have confidence in. But I’m always learning. The magic happens when you’re learning and being surprised.

Did being a director give you a better sense of what’s needed for that sort of creativity to flourish?

One hundred percent. I’m a very hands-on actor. I like to know what’s going on. But I used to want to change things. Blocking-wise, I would give suggestions, not understanding how much work has been put into that shot for months. It was not out of a lack of respect; it was just ignorance of not understanding how everything worked. Now I have a real understanding of every department, what the show needs, and what I need to do. I think it has made me a much better actor.

How do you think about the ebbs and flows of your career? Is the arc of your career something you consider, and do you feel like you’re right now where you were always meant to be?

I’ve always felt like you never know where the roles are going to take you. This business is so unpredictable. I’ve been kicked around, but I’ve been blessed in so many ways. I came out of NYU and was doing the bartending thing and waiting tables and catering. Then I finally got on The Perfect Score and One Tree Hill. I started to have kind of a meteoric rise in my late-20s. And that was great, but after How to Make It in America got cancelled, I was very shocked. I felt like we were just starting to get our footing and gaining momentum. I had fallen so in love with that character that I got a little depressed. There were a couple of years where things were not going my way. And it’s things that every actor goes through, but I just didn’t know how to lose yet. It was good for me. It was humbling. That’s what started me on this writing journey and creating my own projects. I had to figure out a way to create when people were saying no to me. It was really hard, and it tested me a lot. I think Junction helped me so much in the sense that it was such a hard movie to make. A movie about the opioid crisis that nobody really wanted to make. I really felt the need to tell that story despite what the marketplace wanted. I got it made and I’m so proud of myself that I made this project. I think the universe kind of opened up for me after that.

‍How much did having kids change how you interact with your work? 

As soon as I had the kids my career went on an up-swing. I can’t even explain it. I’ve been working nonstop ever since they were born. Junction took off, I was doing You People and all of these things just started happening. I feel like it grounded me and opened me up as an actor to emotional depths. I’m able to tap into things I’ve never been able to access before. I think I’ve always played in the past a lot of roles that were a boy becoming a man, or a young man becoming an adult. I feel like now I’m an adult. I never got to play a suit—I’m always a struggling artist. But I think it gives you a little more gravitas, and it puts the whole world in perspective in terms of what’s important. And maybe career isn’t the most important thing anymore. It’s definitely not—it’s my kids and my family.

You shared a surreal video on Instagram of the devastation caused to your home and neighborhood by the recent fires out here in LA. If you don’t mind sharing, what do you find yourself reflecting on most having gone through such a tragedy?

It was surreal. I was on set. I think it was a Tuesday night, and I’m trying to do a comedy. I’m coming up with bits and alternate lines and improvising and stuff like that. And then I see the crew all checking their phones saying, “Oh, it’s in the Palisades” and “Oh, it’s in Altadena.” I was like, “What the hell is going on?” It was very surreal, and unfortunately, we lost a home. But I guess my main takeaway is that I just feel devastated for the communities and the people. I just want to direct all the attention towards the people.

I feel very fortunate that we have a place to stay, but there are so many who lost so much and maybe didn’t have insurance. I try to direct all the attention towards those families and where people can donate. I just feel like LA is a strong city that will rebuild. It just takes optimism. But it’s been intense…and I don’t want to make it about me. I really feel like it’s about the people who need the help.

JOSH MCDERMITT

When I speak to Josh McDermitt, he is still on set, having just finished a table read with the cast of Suits LA. And I soon learn that my initial impression of the actor, aside from admiring his graciousness, is not an uncommon one. McDermitt is best known for portraying Eugene Porter, the eccentric, morally complex scientist (or was he a science teacher?) complete with a dark mullet on AMC’s mega-hit The Walking Dead. It is not only the appearance of the blonde-haired McDermitt that feels so far removed from his portrayal of yesteryear—it’s everything. The mannerisms, the voice—it all seems like another man entirely. 

I come to find out this is precisely how McDermitt likes it. Where his co-star Bryan Greenberg might take an approach of developing characters by imbuing much of himself into the role, Josh McDermitt prefers the total embodiment of something foreign. And to impressive effect. The now-veteran actor began his career in stand-up comedy, having been a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. But McDermitt is well proven as a versatile performer in the world of scripted projects that he has long resided in, playing Glenn Beck opposite Russell Crowe in Showtime’s limited series The Loudest Voice, blending into the mid-century world of cigarette-laden advertising executives as a recurring character on Mad Men, and even performing off-Broadway. With Suits LA, McDermitt eyes another opportunity for complete metamorphosis, this time as a series lead Stuart Lane, the deeply knowledgeable and often sarcastic attorney having to navigate the relentless world of entertainment law.

Were you a fan of the original run of Suits before agreeing to this project?

I didn’t watch the show until it was on Netflix. Because when I was on The Walking Dead, I barely had time to do anything. So it was during the strikes that I turned on Netflix and was like, “Oh, here’s this show that I’ve always heard about but never had the chance to see.” And while I’m watching it, I’m thinking, “This would’ve been a really fun show to do.” I mean you can tell when actors are having a good time. Not that they’re winking at the camera or anything, but you can just tell that this would’ve been a fun show to do.

Was being on a show that had built-in audience expectations a cause for anxiety or excitement?

I’ve thought a lot about that. I think it’s exciting and I love the challenge. The good news for us is that the original show is no longer on the air—or at least new episodes aren’t coming out. Because then we’d be competing with it instead of it just being like, “Here’s the next chapter.” There will be a lot of people who watch this show who have probably never seen the original Suits. And there will be a lot of people who watch it who are diehard fans of the original and that’s why they are there. It’s just one of those things where the pressure is going to be there whether we’re a spinoff or not. It’s a first-year show and we’re trying to make it the best we can. There are high expectations from the network and the studio. There’s a little bit of swag coming into this, and we got to bring it. The good news is I feel like everyone is bringing it. 

Do you have past experiences that prepare you for joining a series like Suits LA?

I haven’t been in this boat before, with the expectations. There were high expectations with The Walking Dead, but there was never any doubt that we were going to meet those expectations. Plus, when I first started, I was far enough down on the call sheet that I probably didn’t feel that pressure as much as the people at the top of the call sheet. Then, when the show ended and I moved my way up, there was a definite responsibility to meet those expectations, but this one’s a little different.‍

Is there anything unique to you about being on such an LA-specific show?

Yeah, I mean I’ve been out here almost 20 years. I consider myself an Angeleno. You know, I hate to bring up this show because I feel like we’ll probably get compared to it enough and we’re not that show. But I would watch Entourage because I liked that it took place in LA. I liked seeing celebrity cameos, and I liked seeing that they were driving through Laurel Canyon or whatever. I wasn’t living in LA at the time, but I wanted to be there, and I was like, “Oh, I’m just going to watch a show about LA.” This show kind of has that vibe in that it’s very LA based. There’s a lot of LA references, and it’s kind of fun. It has its own feel and personality in that sense.

How much of Josh McDermitt will we see in Stuart Lane?

I definitely like to wear a mask and be as different from myself as I can. But I will undoubtedly find things in those characters that resonate with me personally, and then I can bring that to the table. In terms of overarching personality traits, I try to be as different as possible because I want to be able to take the mask off and go home. My character on The Walking Dead was so different from me. I mean he had dark hair, and he had a mullet. And now when I meet people in real life…there was a person who actually stopped me today, a background actor. They were like, “I looked you up. I didn’t realize you were from The Walking Dead; you look so different. I had no idea.” That to me is one of the biggest compliments you can give me because that’s what I’m going for. I want to hide.

Do you believe every show requires you to take up a unique routine?

Yeah, I mean I feel like I do. It also depends on where you are within the cast. If you’re just coming in one day for an episode, that’s going to be a different rhythm than if you’re there every day. This one is cool because we’re in LA, so it feels like I just have all my comforts at home with me as opposed to being on location somewhere. I’m able to show up early, just showing up and getting the vibe of the crew and taking the temperature of the day. I do different playlists depending on who the character is, and I use that for my rhythm. Just getting into the right space. For Stuart I listen to a lot of jazz, and I’ve been listening to this band called Sault out of the UK. It just gets me into a headspace of who this guy is.

It seems like everyone cites a really nice vibe on the set. How much do you think that impacts the final product?

I think it can be felt. If people are unhappy but they’re still fighting for their own work, then it still has a fighting chance. But if they’re unhappy and they’re just like, “screw it” or “I’m not going to show up,” or “I can’t be in the same room as this person,” then we’re like doing our lines to a piece of tape. There’s a disconnect that the audience may not fully know unless you’re in that world all the time. Then you can spot it easier. But I do think that if it’s a tumultuous set, it can work for some projects. This is not the project where that would work. Because it does need to be lighter, and it does need to be fun. If two actors hate each other—I’ve been around that and it’s not fun. Because of my interactions with Stephen (Amell) and what I knew about the others on this show, I really felt like we were giving ourselves a good shot. Nothing was revealed, like, “You’re a stinker.” It was just like, “Oh, this is nice.” It’s really great, it’s a big lovefest over here.

Photographed by Ian Morrison

Styled by Jay Hines

Written by Jake Carlisi

Glam for Bryan: Amaran Grewal and Freddy Castro using Rare Beauty

Glam for Josh: Michelle Harvey at Opus Beauty

Glam for Lex: Taria Groce and Jeanie Duronslet

Flaunt Film: Isaac Dektor

Set Design: Priscilla Lee

Creative: Melanie Dejesus

Digi Tech: Justin Seeley

Lighting Director: Max Grey

Styling Assistants: Amiah Joy,Michael Washington, and Jai Simmons