Where Was ‘Suits’ Filmed? The Legal Drama Was Not Shot in New York, despite Being Set There

Viewers might be surprised to learn about where “Suits” was filmed for all but one episode ― Canada. However, one of its stars hoped they could film in the Big Apple again as they did the pilot.

The “Suits” filming locations were near-perfect renderings of New York City, despite being miles away in Toronto, Canada. The authentic feel was a result of talented set designers and a little bit of TV magic.

As it reaches new streaming viewers, the show will continue making millions fall in love with a manufactured version of NYC. According to a newspaper report, the odd Canadian visual, such as the Toronto Sun newspaper box, made it into the final cut.

Gabriel Macht portrayed the show’s lead, Harvey Specter, the exceptionally confident top corporate lawyer in a prestigious law firm. Based on the location choice for the series, he said, “It’s better for the artist to shoot where the show takes place.” He further noted:

“And I think New York City is the greatest city in the world, and [I] hope one day to shoot a season there.”

Though set amongst Manhattan’s glass and steel high-rises, the USA Network’s legal drama only filmed the 1-hour 30-minute pilot aired on June 23, 2011, in NYC. The producers took advantage of the generous tax credits in the Canadian metropolis of Toronto, the lower cost of living, and the city’s physical resemblance to New York City to produce the show.

Despite the show being a rating success for the USA Network, making it the top-rated network on Thursdays at 10 p.m. across various demographics in its first season, Macht felt that something was still missing regarding the city’s energy.

He highly regarded the Toronto crew, stating that they deeply understood the show, its intelligence, and everyone involved on set. He noted their collaborative atmosphere, where everyone challenges and supports each other, leading to a cohesive ensemble. However, he added:

“I spoke with one of the producers, and he said we’re running out of streets in Toronto to make it look like New York City.”

The production team of “Suits” relied on two critical locations in Toronto to build the high-powered world of the fictional top-tiered NYC law firm, Pearson Hardman. They used the award-winning Bay Adelaide Centre West for exterior shots of the office building.

The 51-story tower, with 1,200,000 square feet of floor space, makes its mark on the Ontario skyline through its distinct modernist, prism-like shape. The building was awarded the 2010 Ontario Steel Design Award and the 2012 Ontario Association of Architects Design Excellence Award.

The outside façade of the Bay Adelaide was often featured in the opening shots of the series, with its ginkgo trees and wavy grasses flanking the benches of the urban plaza.

In the lobby, which served as the background of many of the comings and goings in the firm, featured artist James Turrel’s public art exhibit, Straight Flush, but could never be filmed directly due to copyright.

Warner Strauss, the co-location manager of “Suits,” said that the “building speaks of power and money.” The production faced challenges with the location in later seasons, he explained:

“[Fans are] sneaking in from outside and, because we have glass walls, you have faces pressed up against the glass, which causes an issue.”

Once the news of Meghan Markle’s royal romance with Prince Harry broke, her exterior scenes needed to be rewritten. Fans and paparazzi became interested in the actress who portrayed Rachel Zane and was seen around the set.

The office scenes, where most corporate wrangling and backstabbing took place, were filmed in a studio at Downsview Park, Toronto. The luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotel lobby also served as a prime location for the show. Much of the power broker meetings took place on its marble floor space.

Like “The Office,” which remained afloat for a few seasons after its star, Steve Carell as Michael Scott, departed, “Suits” carried on for two seasons after Patrick J. Adams left the show after season seven.

Adams’ Mike Ross drove the drama for most of the show’s run. Expelled from college and on the run from the cops with a stash of drugs, Ross’s photographic memory impresses Gabriel Macht’s Specter, who hires him on the spot.

At the beginning of August 2023, the show Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings reported that “Suits” broke its record as the most watched acquired show on streaming platforms when it was in the number one spot for the third week.

However, its streaming successes will unlikely inspire studio bosses to return it for a tenth season. The season finale wrapped up the storylines of three original cast members, Sarah Rafferty as Donna Paulsen, Macht’s character, and Rick Hoffman’s Louis Litt.