The Surprising Story of How Patrick J. Adams Auditioned for Mike Ross at the Absolutely Perfect Time

Suits star Patrick J. Adams sat down with Buzzfeed editor Jarett Wieselman for a conversation in front of fellow actors at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in Los Angeles last week. The video of the event (below), which is a must-see for any Suits fan, contains over 40 minutes of cool insights into the show, the character of Mike Ross, and the life of an actor.

In particular, we were blown away by Patrick's story about how he came to play the part of Mike Ross, who -- if you remember the pilot well -- burst into Pearson Hardman while trying to outrun the police. Though Patrick wasn't evading arrest in real life during his Suits audition, there was a striking parallel between Mike's situation and his own.

I had been fired from a pilot and it was a pretty public firing, the way they are. I mean, no one cared, but it was written up, you know -- “He’s been replaced on that pilot.” I went through that whole process where I was like, 'Oh, clearly I’m never going to be an actor and I’m terrible, and I’m gonna move home, and this is all over, and I’ve failed myself and my family.'

Shortly thereafter, Patrick was called in to audition for Mike Ross on the Suits pilot. He felt so low by his recent firing that he wasn't confident at all that he would get the part, but went in for the audition anyway.

It was the part of a guy who was at the bottom. He had run out of luck basically. He had run out of opportunities and he has one shot -- this one moment where he has to say, “Give me this opportunity. I’ve been through the wringer and I’m telling you, Harvey, I’m going to be the best lawyer you’ve ever seen in your life. Give me this shot. Nobody deserves it more. Nobody’s going to work harder for it than I am." And that was the audition.

If it's true that timing is everything, then it could not have been a more perfect moment for Patrick to audition for Mike's character.

It was a nightmare -- for anybody, really, but especially actors, getting fired from something and being embarrassed and feeling like you’re not enough. And then you get to go into a room and look these producers in the eye and literally say these words to them in the audition: “Give me this job. I promise I will not fail. I’ll work harder than anybody you’ve ever seen.” Those are the easiest words that have ever left my mouth.

Of course, we can't ever imagine anyone other than our own Patrick J. Adams as Mike Ross, so things certainly have a way of working out!

Check out the full interview with Patrick at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation here:

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