After resigning from Pearson Specter, Louis’ situation went from bad to worse when every positive opportunity ended in further disappointment. Mike’s ignorance of a key from Harvard changed everything and Louis figured out the deep dark secret of the firm. He knows!
I spoke with Rick Hoffman about portraying Louis, the brutal scene between Louis and Donna, and what’s next for Louis. Read on for our conversation about the epic summer finale.
Your performance was amazing in “Gone,” but somehow you blew that performance away in “This is Rome.” As an actor, what was the most difficult part of the Louis’ journey so far for you?
I think a better question is: What was easy? [Laughs] And the answer to that is nothing. Prior to our small hiatus here, as an actor, I’ve never had a more thrilling, euphoric, scared-for-my-life type of experience when it comes to my work. It’s been the most challenging experience thus far as a television and film actor. I wouldn’t exchange it for anything. I just hope other people who see these episodes can sort of enjoy it and feel for the guy. That’s what you strive to do as an actor. You try to make him or her as human as possible.
I’m quite proud of what we’ve accomplished so far. That’s not to say the next episode we shoot I’m going to feel like a complete failure. Up to this point, I feel like I’ve done the best that I could and I’m very proud of what we put out there. And that’s thanks to [Creator and Executive Producer] Aaron Korsh and that’s thanks to the other five unbelievably talented cast mates and our great directors we’ve had. Roger Kumble directed this last episode and boy what a fantastic person and fantastic director too to direct such a complicated summer finale episode.
The scene between Louis and Donna was brutal. Does Louis have the capacity to understand why he was kept in the dark and forgive her?
I think what goes on from this point is anybody’s guess. When you’re as fragile as Louis is and so volatile, what does somebody who’s that insecure and fragile do when he feels like his whole entire world at Pearson Specter as been The Truman Show?
I can’t imagine something more hurtful and more scarring than that to a guy like that. That leaves for tremendous multiple possibilities from here on in as far as the office dynamic. It’s anyone’s guess.
For someone who has tried so hard over the years to prove his value to the firm to then finally be in the position to get his name possibly on the door based on coercion. Is that something he can come to terms with?
It’s something that I imagine he’ll have another battle with from here on in. It’s just another additional dimension [Laughs] of did he earn it? Did he not earn it? We all know that Louis is an unbelievably sensitive emotional guy and smart, so there has to be a place in there where he knows it didn’t happen the way he wanted it to. What does that do to a guy like that?
When I found out that this was happening, I just like laughed because I was like, “Oh my, God.” Like I said, the possibilities are endless as far as Louis and every single one of his relationships in the firm. Who knows who he’s going to trust? Who he takes on as an adversary? It seems to me like this goes to square one where he started in the firm like a complete– almost like a villain to Harvey and Mike.
Do you think because of what happened with Forstman, Louis has given up his black and white philosophy and that will make it easier for him to adjust to the new dynamic at the firm?
I think what brilliant cliffhanger that the writers leave you with is Louis up until that point has done everything with his T’s crossed and his I’s dotted. And now that he sees that has completely gotten him nowhere and is now gone through this threshold where he can’t turn back. Once again, I’ll say the possibilities of his moral fiber and core, how broken it is, that can change anything here on in. I wish the people at Pearson Specter good luck dealing with this guy. [Laughs]
Suits returns this winter on USA.
(Image courtesy of USA.)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Contributing Editor and Writer for Collider, BuddyTV, TV Fanatic, CliqueClack, and other publications. TV criticism, reviews, interviews with actors and producers, and other related content. Founder of TV Diehard.
