Patrick J. Adams, best known for playing Mike Ross in the hit legal drama Suits, recently opened up about his first meeting with co-star Meghan Markle, who played his on-screen love interest Rachel Zane. During an episode of his podcast Sidebar: A Suits Watch, which he co-hosts with fellow Suits alum Sarah Rafferty (Donna Paulsen), Adams reflected on their early connection and the failed pilot they worked on together.
Though Suits became a global sensation, running from 2011 to 2019, Adams and Markle’s on-screen chemistry was evident well before they ever stepped into the roles of Mike and Rachel. Recalling their first collaboration, Adams shared, “Meghan and I had done a pilot before, a terrible, terrible pilot together,” laughing about the failed project.
The pilot, Adams explained, also featured a romantic subplot between the two characters they portrayed. “There was a setting up of a romantic relationship in the pilot… and then we never saw each other again. The pilot failed. It was terrible and went away,” he said.
However, the story didn’t end there. Adams was the first actor cast in Suits, and as part of the casting process, he participated in chemistry reads with actresses auditioning for the role of Rachel Zane. Much to his surprise, Markle was among the contenders.
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“She was right there. And she said, ‘Hi.’ And I went, ‘Oh my god! So good to see you,’” Adams recalled of the unexpected reunion. He noted that from the moment they began the chemistry read, it was clear that Markle was the perfect fit for the role. “I think our just knowing each other and getting to calm down and not have those nerves of just getting to know one another, really helped that chemistry read,” Adams added.
He emphasised how natural their connection felt during the audition, saying, “It was just so much easier than it was with anybody else.” Reflecting on Markle’s performance, Adams praised her talent in both the audition and the series. “She crushed it and crushes it in the show,” he concluded.
Adams and Markle’s on-screen chemistry became one of the central elements of Suits, contributing significantly to the show’s enduring popularity.