Suits Interview: Sarah Rafferty on Flashing Back, Knowing All

On the last new Suits episode, viewers were introduced to Donna Spector and Rachel Ross, alter egos created by Sarah Rafferty's Donna and Meghan Markle's Rachel.

Might we be seeing more of a friendship between these two as Suits Season 2 moves along? I posed that question to Rafferty over the phone this week.

“It’s so fun to play that right now," she said. "We really are giddy girlfriends. We get really excited at 2:30 in the morning when we have another scene to play that brings us closer together. 

"Donna feels badly that she thought it was necessary for Mike and Rachel to break up. When Rachel said she didn’t know how to define herself on the dating profile, Donna knew she had to do something. Donna is older, more confident. She’s like, ‘I’m a legal assistant, but that’s not how I define myself, I’m so much more.’”

Would Donna ever tell Rachel that she was in on the split?

“I don’t know," the actress replied. "That would definitely put a strain on their budding friendship and it would also mean that Rachel would have to know the big secret.”

With half the season already filmed, Rafferty confirmed that Rachel remains in the dark.

On the whole, Rafferty wouldn’t change anything about her character. She's as big a fan of Donna as the millions of viewers who tune in each week.

“Donna is so confident and smart and witty. I love that about her. It’s very fun playing someone so confident in her work and sexy. I love how she dresses and it’s amazing that she thinks that fast. As her flaws come out she gets in a bit of trouble. She has a lesson to learn, and her arrogance makes her life more messy this season and gives her a lot more layers to portray.”

And, yes, taking on this character has made Rafferty feel especially "sassy" in real life, as well.

As to whether or not we’ll learn more about Donna and Harvey’s past, the star offered up this tease:

“Episode seven is a perfectly placed flashback. It only goes back five years, but we get to see Mike, Harvey before he was partner, Jessica before she was number-one and Hardman when he was still at the firm. There was nothing romantic going on between Harvey and Donna at that time, but they’ve known each other for 13 or 14 years, so it’s possible something might have happened before. We don’t know.”

What about that can opener ritual?

“It will definitely be revisited. The mystery behind it won’t be solved, but it will be enjoyed.”

And her favorite Donna moment to date?

“Probably the first time she got to mess with Louis by crying with him. Having Harvey be in on it and watching Louis fall for it and then seeing Donna report back in to Harvey with satisfaction. It was such a great moment between Donna and Louis!”

With the return of Hardman to the firm, what will be Donna’s biggest asset in helping Jessica and Harvey retain control of the company? Rafferty didn’t hesitate: “‘She really does know what’s going on with everyone. She understands relationships and has relationships and she can use them to get information.”

But is there there anything happening at Pearson Hardman that Donna does NOT know about?

“Oh yes,” the actress previewed. “There will be something that will confuse her to no end. And that’s the same thing that gets her in trouble.”

Suits returns with a new episode on USA Network next Thursday, July 12, 10/9c. Watch a preview for "Discovery" now.

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.