Suits actress Gina Torres recently sat down on the Toronto set to talk about the second season of the popular USA Network series and her character, Jessica Pearson.
At the end of May, The Deadbolt touched down in Toronto to visit the production set of the USA Network series Suits and tour the Manhattan law firm of Pearson Hardman. After a guided walk-through of Pearson Hardman with Suits co-star Patrick J. Adams, The Deadbolt joined Gina Torres in the newly revamped boardroom to talk about her character, Jessica Pearson, and what fans can expect when Suits returns on June 14.
As we found out from the first season of Suits, Jessica Pearson is a strong woman who takes her legal career very seriously. Although perception and execution play a huge part in preserving the elite image of Pearson Hardman, it’s much more for Jessica since her name is out front as a founding partner.
When it comes to drama and conflict within the Pearson Hardman law firm, Gina Torres explained that there’s much more at stake for Jessica than Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and the other partners since it’s her firm.
“This is her life’s work. This is her baby. All that we know of Jessica is that she’s very driven and that she has dedicated herself to this firm. Her name is on the letterhead, is on the door and so it is a direct reflection of her.”
When we last left Jessica Pearson in the season one finale, she was wanting to know more about why Harvey hired the intellectually gifted Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) in the first place. Given Mike’s lack of legal credentials, which Jessica doesn’t know about, there were moments in the first season that raised subtle red flags about Harvey’s new associate.
Although it appeared that junior partner, Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman) was learning more about Mike Ross throughout season one, Jessica had too much to think about than wondering about Harvey’s new hire.
So, where do things stand with how Jessica feels about Mike Ross when Season 2 begins?
“I think she just she really wants to know what his value is. And she’s also not someone who will show her cards so easily. She doesn’t know Mike. So there’s no reason for her to let Mike in on how she’s feeling really.”
In season one of Suits, fans sporadically saw a more personal side of Jessica in certain episodes. Early in the Suits season we learned that Jessica was once involved with pharmaceutical drug creator Quentin Sainz (guest star Russell Hornsby of Grimm) who turned to Pearson when his new ALS drug was about to be pulled off the market.
It was brief glimpse into the past of Jessica Pearson that revealed a more human side of the character as a women with hopes and dreams before she ascended to the top of the legal world.
Will Suits fans see more of Jessica’s personal world when the second season resumes? As Gina Torres told us on the set, there’s a lot going on that may or may not reveal more to Pearson this season.
“Like any good television series, like any good show that’s written well, there’s a slow reveal. Once we understand that we hooked you, we don’t want to give it all away. Yes, you do see evidence of that I think with everybody on the show this season. There’s another layer that is revealed to Jessica. You see a little bit more of her interior life and so you can only hope that more of that is exposed as the season goes on.”
But what about a direct love interest for Jessica Pearson? Is Jessica too busy for love?
Despite getting a look at Jessica’s past through Quentin, it would appear that Jessica has hardened somewhat after being burned in love for another woman. Obviously Jessica was younger and more naive when she was with Quentin.
How does Gina Torres feel about the possibility of a love interest for Jessica?
“It would be nice. We’ll see. It’s got to be worth it. It’s got to be somebody good. I don’t think anybody would buy it if Jessica had somebody who just kind of showed up and waved it. It was great having Russell Hornsby here because at the end of that particular episode, just seeing what their relationship was, you saw another playful side of her that maybe she could be somebody’s partner in life and not just you know a partner in work.”
As we found out on the set of Suits while in Toronto, fans can expect Jessica to be challenged on a professional level in new ways. As a result of the second season drama that unfolds in the premiere, Jessica has a lot to deal with as the head of Pearson Hardman that will leave her more vulnerable.
Although Jessica had things under control for the first season, the second season may be more of a challenge.
As Gina Torres added, there’s a definite professional evolution with consequences from first to second season.
“I like to think of Jessica in the first season as being large, in charge, in control and kind of happy-go-lucky. This is her domain. She just struts down this hallway and she’s invulnerable. Now we start to see the little chinks in the armor and the scars. And any woman who gets to that office, any person who gets to that office, has some battle scars and has some bodies buried in places. It would be ridiculous not to think so.”
When the second season of Suits premieres, Jessica will find herself caught between her firm and many new layers beyond Harvey and Mike Ross. However, given that Jessica still doesn’t know who Mike Ross really is and that a huge secret is being kept under wraps at Pearson Hardman, Gina Torres hinted that the bar has been raised in season two.
Although Mike Ross may or may not become a focal point for Jessica Pearson, it’s clear that Gina Torres knows exactly who Jessica is as professional woman and how she’ll handle any pressure in the second season of Suits.
“I believe one of Jessica’s strong suits is that it’s very clear that her respect has to be earned. She’s not just taking on anybody on the whim, there’s too much at stake. The stakes have been established as being very high this season.”
Suits returns to USA Network on June 14 at 10/9c.