The smart and powerful lawyer, Ted Black, played by Stephen Amell on ‘Suits L.A’ might be riding high on the groundwork laid by Gabriel Macht’s Harvey Specter on ‘Suits,’ but there’s a real-life counterpart of Ted. The man is not the driving force of any law firm but a top Hollywood agent.
On the legal drama, Ted’s journey takes him from New York to Los Angeles, marking a huge career shift from being a federal prosecutor to a powerful lawyer with entertainment industry clients. The character’s switch mirrors that of Hollywood bigwig Ted Chervin, who switched careers to become an agent.
The OG Ted Black Is A Real Hollywood Personality
After the monumental success of ‘Suits,’ creator Aaron Korsh was ready to leave the world of corporate law behind. In his mind, the idea emerged from his early years in the industry when an agent had pursued him to become his client. His characteristics motivated Korsh to sketch Ted Black’s role. In fact, ‘Suits: LA’ was going to be named ‘Ted’ after that prominent CAA agent named Ted Chervin, who once took on the chief of Colombia’s Cali drug cartel during his lawyering days.
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The show dives into the complex past and present of Ted Black. Chervin’s real journey happened along similar lines. The man grew up in New York, became a federal prosecutor after graduating from Harvard, and went after dangerous criminals and mobsters. Then, as he approached his 30s, Chervin made a drastic switch. Leaving the fight against organized crime, he moved to Los Angeles and represented stars. He worked from the base level to become the managing director of ICM Partners.
During his TED Talk, Chervin explained his decision: “I basically traded my Justice Department badge to try to become a real-life Ari Gold and enact my own real-life Entourage.” We all know the ambitious and often vulgar yet charming Ari was modeled after Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel.
The Dramatic Journey Of ‘Suits: LA’
Aaron Korsh’s career trajectory, too, involves a huge pivot from investment banking to writing. His passion project was an Entourage-style comedy taking viewers into the world of Wall Street. The leading man was supposed to be modeled after Korsh’s former boss. However, the pitch of financial stories didn’t appeal to the network. So, the law firm setting was chosen, giving birth to ‘Suits.’
As for ‘Suits: LA,’ the gritty backstory leading to a life in showbiz was in limbo with the tentative title of ‘Hindsight.’ Finally, it was accepted and revived with the caveat of turning the talent agency into the successful law business formula of ‘Suits.’ After all, the series became a phenomenon in its streaming sphere. “In our world, you have a criminal-defense wing and an entertainment-law wing,” Korsh told TV Insider. “You need to provide a full array of services to your clients, such that if they get in trouble, you can provide criminal defense.”
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Though not personally involved in the show, Ted Chervin sent Korsh his best wishes for ‘Suits: LA’ through a text: “Congrats on the series pickup form the real Ted,” followed by a smiley-face emoji. To this, Korsh acknowledged him as “The OG Ted,” a true legend in Hollywood.
When Stephen Amell came on board for the spinoff, he was sold on the mystery of Ted’s nature – the public confidence and personal vulnerability he displayed day in and day out. The actor revealed, “He’s willing to go far, but he does like to stay within the parameters of the law. He is maybe better able to compartmentalize the human element of things.”
Ted’s story has a dark edge, told through flashbacks. His subconscious speaks to him through his dead brother’s ghost. He is not so invincible; he falters, but in the end, he dominates in his profession. He struggles with his relationships and especially drawing a boundary as work penetrates every aspect of his life. These details might be fictional, but Ted Chervin is still a huge part and inspiration behind ‘Suits: LA.’
