Posted in: NBC, Peacock, Preview, TV | Tagged: nbc, preview, stephen amell, suits: l.a., suits: la
Suits: L.A. Star Stephen Amell Heading to Vancouver for Pilot Filming
Stephen Amell confirmed that he's heading to Vancouver to film the Suits: L.A. pilot and made a "surreal" connection with the "Arrow" pilot.
With NBC giving a pilot order for a potential series spinoff set in the universe of Aaron Korsh's Patrick J. Adams, Gabriel Macht, Meghan Markle, Sarah Rafferty & Gina Torres-starring series Suits back at the beginning of February, things have been picking up steam pretty quickly. In less than two months, we learned that Stephen Amell (Arrow) would lead the series – joined by a cast that includes Josh McDermitt (The Walking Dead), Lex Scott Davis (Florida Man), Troy Winbush (The Wilds), Alice Lee (Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist), and Bryan Greenberg (The Mindy Project) Not long after, Amell discussed how the spinoff was looking to keep the "feel" of the original series, looking forward to getting on the set, familiarizing himself with the original Suits, and more. That brings us to earlier today – and based on what Amell posted over on Instagram Stories, it looks like filming on the pilot is getting underway pretty soon in Vancouver. Here's a look at how we know – and the "surreal" connection all of this has with Amell filming the Arrow pilot.
"Well, first and foremost, Aaron Korsh, who created the original 'Suits,' he's back with his same producing partners, same writers, I think some of the same crew, certainly same costume designer. So it's going to have that 'Suits' feel. I was just excited to go do an in-person audition for the first time in like eight years, and I went into it without a ton of expectations because you never know what they're going to be looking for," Amell shared during an interview with Deadline Hollywood in support of his and brother Robbie Amell's upcoming second "Code 8" film for Netflix.
"But the script is great. The cast, most of which has been announced on your website [Deadline Hollywood], is really excellent. Both Lex [Scott Davis] and Josh [McDermitt], who I got a chance to do chemistry reads with, are sensational. So I'm trying to focus on what is directly in front of me, and what's directly in front of me is a pilot script with more words per page than I have said in my entire career by a factor of five. I'm just going to be a bit of a nervous wreck until we actually get on set and start shooting, which is in just about 27 days. Whatever, who's counting?" Amell added. "No, I'm really excited, and I've also really been enjoying the show. I hadn't seen the original, and I'm familiarizing myself because I think certain shows, they'll have a syntax to them. But big fan and just glad I get to be a part of the world."
Suits: L.A. is expected to spotlight Amell's Ted Black, a former federal prosecutor from New York who has reinvented himself – and now represents some of the most powerful clients in Los Angeles. According to the logline for the series, Black's firm "is at a crisis point, and in order to survive, he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career. Ted is surrounded by a stellar group of characters who test their loyalties to both Ted and each other while they can't help but mix their personal and professional lives. All of this is happening while events from years ago slowly unravel that led Ted to leave behind everything and everyone he loved."
McDermitt will play Stuart Lane, an "energetic, powerful, focused and self-absorbed" friend of Black's who founded the L.A. law firm Black Lane Law fifteen years ago to specialize in criminal and entertainment law. Davis' Erica Rollins is described as a savvy and strong-willed rising star who works for Amell's Ted Black. She's shrewd enough to test the loyalty of her associates only to admire some of them for not having any. Winbush's Kevin is Ted Black's (Amell) old friend and ex-partner, a former FBI agent now a private detective. Lee's Leah is a young associate attorney at Black Lane Law who has been assigned to work with (or, as it turns out, for) entertainment attorney Erica Rollins (Davis). The series is not a direct sequel to the original Suits but will be set within the show's universe. Greenberg's Rick Dodsen is Ted Black's protege in the entertainment division of Black Lane Law. Slated to be promoted, Rick is determined to stay one step ahead of his rival, Erica Rollins (Davis).