The upcoming NBC series Suits LA is set to introduce viewers to a fresh face in the legal drama world, with actor Josh McDermitt taking on a crucial role.
After Suits captivated new fans when it hit in 2023, audiences were thrilled at the news of a spin-off.
Fast forward two years, and Suits LA is gearing up for its grand premiere on Sunday, February 23, shining a spotlight on Black Lane Law, an entertainment law firm nestled in the heart of Los Angeles.
The firm is co-led by Ted Black (portrayed by Stephen Amell) and his best mate and business associate Stuart Lane, played by Josh McDermitt, who’s been pegged as a “sharp but self-centered attorney”.
But who exactly is the man behind Stuart Lane as fans eagerly await the launch of Suits LA?
Large family
Josh McDermitt hails from Arizona and wasn’t short of company growing up; he was one of six siblings, and his family also opened their home to foster children.
In a candid chat with Talk Nerdy With Us, McDermitt reminisced: “We did foster care, like emergency foster care, so we would get a lot of kids in the middle of the night and stuff like that.
“At any given time, we could have 12-15 kids in our family. We’d hang on to them for a day or two before we’d have to figure out if they had to be placed in a permanent home.
“It was kind of a lot of fun to come home from school and you’d have a new brother or sister.”
Inside Suits LA star Josh McDermitt’s life from online death threats to unrecognisable Mad Men role (Image: NBC)
Actor Josh McDermitt is best known for playing Eugene Porter in The Walking Dead. (Image: AMC)
Early career
As Suits LA prepares to take the small screen by storm, all eyes are on McDermitt and his portrayal of Stuart Lane.
Prior to becoming an actor, McDermitt had aspirations of being a police officer or detective.
Instead, he began working at a local radio station at 14 and later attended Grand Canyon University, studying Marketing and Public Relations.
After over a decade in radio, the 46 year old ventured into stand-up comedy, performing locally for two years before reaching the semi-finals of NBC’s Last Comic Standing.
McDermitt went on to open for notable comedians like Dave Attell, Louis CK, and Joe Rogan before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue acting.
Death threats
His breakout role came as Eugene Porter in The Walking Dead from 2014 to 2022.
However, following his character’s alliance with villain Negan, McDermitt faced online death threats, prompting him to quit social media in 2017.
In a Facebook Live, he explained: “When you start saying you hope I die, I don’t know if you’re talking about Josh or Eugene.
“Just stop complaining about everything on the internet. Just go spend time with your family or friends or loved ones. I love you guys.”
Actor Josh McDermitt featured in two episodes of Mad Men season seven as George Payton. (Image: AMC)
Eugene Porter’s inspiration
Despite the negative experience, The Walking Dead catapulted McDermitt to international fame.
The Walking Dead’s Eugene, played by actor Josh McDermitt, is known for his distinctive monotone voice—a trait the star revealed he borrowed from someone very close to him.
In a candid discussion, McDermitt shared that his brother Zach was the inspiration behind Eugene’s vocal stylings, admitting: “He gets mad every time I tell people that!
“But he speaks with such a flat, even affect, that he was like the perfect model for what Eugene sounds like.
“Eugene’s emotional spectrum is so tiny – I couldn’t not steal my brother’s persona, to make Eugene.”
Mad Men
In a surprising switch of roles, McDermitt also appeared in Mad Men’s final season as George Payton, where he swapped Eugene’s unkempt appearance for a sharp suit and slicked-back hair.
Reflecting on the transformation during an AMC Q&A, he remarked: “I rarely shave down to my face, which I had to do for Mad Men, so a couple of people were asking about that, but no one thought that I’d booked another show, let alone Mad Men.”
Suits LA premieres on Sunday, February 23, on NBC in the US.