The bygone days of Pearson Hardman seen in the latest Suits episode, “Rewind,” showed us exactly how much can change in five years. One of the biggest changes was in the character of Jessica Pearson. We talked to Gina Torres, the actress who plays Jessica, to see what she thought of how the character had evolved.
Obviously, the Jessica we saw in the “Rewind” flashbacks to five years ago was not the same woman we regularly see on Suits. Sure, she was still ambitious and fairly ruthless, but Jessica was also a woman loyal to Daniel Hardman and not quite so dependent on Harvey Specter.
When asked about how Jessica Pearson had changed over the five years between “Rewind” and the rest of Suits, Gina Torres pointed to responsibility as the biggest alteration. “I would say that the crown weighs heavy on the queen’s head,” Torres said. “There was more of a sense of play to her five years ago.” Considering Jessica’s almost gleeful scheming with Harvey at the beginning of “Rewind,” this definitely seems to be the case.
The turning point for Jessica was, of course, the betrayal of Daniel Hardman. While this betrayal seemed to be a non-issue for Harvey (who never really liked the man and who was happy to destroy an adulterer for personal reasons), Jessica had some trouble accepting the downfall of her partner. “Clearly, this is a man that she admired, had worked for,” Gina Torres told us. “It was horrible to her. It was a huge personal blow.”
Not that the tragedy of Hardman’s fall stopped Jessica from moving forward. As Torres put it, “You could see that she was absolutely ready to take the firm. And was happy to do it, at whatever cost.”
Why would Jessica take everything away from an old friend and a partner, despite whatever loyalty she might have had? The simple answer is Jessica Pearson’s devotion to the law firm of Pearson Hardman. “The firm is her baby,” Torres explained. “That she will protect — her name is on the door! It’s on all of the stationery! She’s going to protect that if she feels that is threatened in any way.”
Gina Torres summed up the lessons taught by “Rewind” best. “I think it’s a cautionary tale,” she said. “You know, don’t f*ck with Jessica. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of Jessica Pearson.”
No you do not. Daniel Hardman is likely to find that out very clearly in the next couple episodes of Suits. But what’s scary and ominous for him should be excellent for us to watch!
Suits airs Thursdays at 10pm on USA.
(Images courtesy of USA)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
