Weasely “Suits” lawyer Louis Litt is the guy everyone hates to love — and that’s why Rick Hoffman loves his TV alter-ego.
“[Show creator] Aaron Korsh and the writers decided to take their time to make this guy a true human being,” says the affable Hoffman, 45, who’s played the annoying, obnoxious — and, yes, sweet and lovable — Louis for all five seasons of USA’s popular legal drama (it’s been renewed for a sixth season). “He’s the guy everyone has come across, whether it be at work or playing sports or any type of social environment. Most of the time we don’t want to go near this guy … who just steps on his own feet, can’t get out of his own way and is broken — like everyone else.
“He’s just wired differently,” Hoffman says. “At the same time he’s incredibly scary to play; it requires a vulnerability I’d always been afraid of when I studied acting in college. When I read the [‘Suits’] scripts I go into a neuroses spiral.”
Fans of “Suits” — which also stars Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Gina Torres, Meghan Markle and Sarah Rafferty (as brilliant secretary Donna) — know that Louis has some strange predilections, including “mudding” (lying naked in a tub of mud) and origami festivals. He’s also obsessed with cats.
“I think he wears on the outside what people are able to edit and keep to themselves [in order] to survive in an acceptable social arena,” says Hoffman. “He’s just sort of a walking emotion. When I read the things that he does it kills me. I’m like, ‘No, come on!’ I’m heartbroken. It’s beyond fun to play but it’s also unbelievably scary.”
On the show, Louis created his own catchphrase — “Litt Up!,” to describe besting an adversary — that’s emblazoned on mugs and T-shirts (both on the show and in real life).
“I used to make up fake catchphrases for my friends and laugh about it and now I’m a guy who has one,” Hoffman says. “I love it. I can’t get over the fact that people come up to me and tell me they want to get ‘Litt Up.’ I’m on cloud nine all the time. This is the greatest experience I’ve had in my career.”
Last, but not least …
JG Kemper (husband of Triple 7 PR publicist Carrie Simons) and Kara Lorraine have released the new album “Summer Plans,” sharing their five-year journey “on the winding road from heartbreak to happiness” … Yes, that was Jackie Cruz (Flaca on “Orange Is the New Black”) dining this past Monday at Nerai (55 E. 54th) after the premiere of Meryl Streep’s flick “Ricki and the Flash” … Martha Byrne, Allison Smith, Peyton Ella and Kate West star in “Weight,” a new series about life after extreme reality TV weight loss (think “The Biggest Loser”). It’s at weighttheseries.com.
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