From the Suits Files: Rick Hoffman on Louis Litt

With the third episode already upon us, it’s time for this week’s edition of “From the Suits Files”. This one shifts the focus to Rick Hoffman, better known as Harvey’s nemesis, Louis Litt.

Name: Rick Hoffman
Character: Louis Litt
Character Assessment: Guaranteed to be the man you’ll love to hate on this series, Louis Litt is a somewhat slimy yet pretty much by-the-book lawyer at Pearson Hardman. He is clearly unhappy because he thinks Harvey is always given preferential treatment, and he seems to have it in for the newest golden boy, Mike Ross.

On his character, Louis Litt:

He is like the douche of the firm, but to get a more psychological angle, from the beginning of the pilot, he gets defeated by one of his equals, which is Harvey Specter. It’s a character that becomes more and more interesting because in life, people lose, whether it be a promotion or they fail at work. It all depends on how they handle (it) and compose themselves afterwards to recover, and this particular character doesn’t, or at least, on the outside it seems like he does but on the inside, he is just completely broken to pieces, and it clearly shows (in) how he treats his co-workers for at least the early part of the series. He handles it very poorly and turns, sort of, to the dark side. But there (are) other sides to Louis Litt, that hopefully we’ll get to see (in) episodes down the road.

On portraying a “fractured” character:

Well, everybody’s fractured, in general, it’s just the dimension of fracture, how heavy the fracture is. In this particular case, basically, his suit is his shield, he covers himself for who he really is, he doesn’t want anyone to see who that person is. And who that person is, is actually much softer than he comes across, especially (in) the first couple of episodes. What makes me so interested in this character is that there are lots of different levels to Louis Litt, and it’s very rare that you get an opportunity, as an actor, to play roles like this.

On his favourite moments so far as Louis:

I think it’s the second episode, the one after the pilot. I am a really good tennis player apparently, and also love to take my shirt off in front of dudes and make them feel uncomfortable. That episode, it was the most fun. There’s one coming up that’s just going to be unbelievably challenging, from a dramatic standpoint. But for me, personally, as an actor, it’s so hard to get jobs like this, even if I’m playing, like today, glorified background, it’s fun. Being here working has been a unbelievable blessing that shouldn’t be taken for granted, let alone (for) a show that’s as well written like this.

On his working relationship with his co-stars:

We still have yet to work with certain actors, (but) Gabriel and myself always have fun. I don’t want to give you like that whole whatever every actor on the planet has given you – oh, my God, we’re having such an amazing time, we all get along – we actually do. It’s so easy because everybody has a different energy, out of the six of us, and it’s a pleasure thus far to work with one another.

On why we’ll love to hate Louis:

I don’t know if this is interesting at all, but this is something I feel personally: I find a lot of comedy in all these idiotic forms of behaviour. Somehow, to me, the comedy of it all comes out, which hopefully makes you love to hate him, as opposed to just hate him.

Your Assignment: Check out Rick Hoffman in tonight’s episode of Suits, 10/9c on USA Network.

Photo Courtesy of USA Network

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