Why Suits LA Guest Star Wants To "Kill" His The Office Character
Brian Baumgartner is on a shocking mission that has nothing to do with chili on Suits LA.
The latest episode of Suits LA had some great guest stars all sparked by the arrival of a former star of The Office making his way into Ted Black's law firm making some seemingly impossible demands. However, if you weren't a fan of The Office, you may find yourself a little lost.
Brian Baumgartner played Kevin Malone on The Office for nine seasons, becoming a fan-favorite and beloved character pretty quickly for his delightfully dim-witted but lovable persona. While his character had many memorable moments, he’s perhaps most famous for his chili day scene, where he literally spills the beans in the hallways of Dunder Mifflin. Now, for his next television trick, Baumgartner is walking the corporate hallways once again, but this time around, he’s older, wiser, and guest starring on NBC’s new legal drama Suits LA. The beloved actor made his return to TV in Episode 3, titled “He Knows.”
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Bringing even more cut-throat intensity than Suits, which ran from 2011 to 2019, Suits LA departs from the original USA Network series with a new group of attorneys led by firm founder Ted Black (Stephen Amell), who deals in entertainment and criminal defense law in Hollywood.
What is Brian Baumgartner doing at a high-powered Tinsel Town law firm, you might ask? The actor is on a surprising mission.
Who does Brian Baumgartner play on Suits LA?
Baumgartner plays himself in Episode 3 of Suits LA, which first airs on March 9. The actor has been synonymous with “Kevin from Accounting” for twenty years and is determined to make a career change — at least on the show. He arranged a meeting with partner Erica Rollins (Lex Scott Davis), who heads the entertainment division at Black Lane Law. His dilemma? Despite the fame, he said he is tired of being “typecast” and wants to ditch his famous character forever. Meanwhile, a law clerk passing by fist-bumped the air and shouted, “The Office!” upon seeing him.
“I want to kill Kevin Malone, don’t get me wrong. I love him. I love the role. It has given me basically everything I have but it has come with a cost,” he said in a teaser clip.
Baumgartner believes he’s capable of delivering Oscar-worthy performances — no argument there — and he wants Erica to set up a meeting with none other than Tom Hanks, also a client of the firm, for advice on how to pivot from comedy to drama. Suits LA has hinted at the possibility of many famous guest stars, and we can’t help but wonder if we’ll catch a glimpse of Hanks in the future.
Brian Baumgartner's many projects
Baumgartner brought flashes of genius to his role on The Office as the hapless accountant, Kevin, giving us lines like, “I just want to sit on the beach and eat hot dogs. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Though his character was often ridiculous, there is always something about Baumgartner’s delivery that is extremely relatable.
Perhaps it’s because the actor is so down-to-earth in real life. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, the 52-year-old attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, earning a degree in theater. He has nurtured a lifelong love of football, barbecue, and yes, chili. He turned those passions into a podcast, “Off the Beat,” where he shoots the breeze with actors and athletes, and he also penned two cookbooks (“Seriously Good Barbecue Cookbook” and “Seriously Good Chili Cookbook”). Does he subscribe to Kevin’s secret chili “trick” of undercooking the onions? You’ll have to read the cookbook to find out.
But The Office will always be close to Baumgartner’s heart. During the pandemic, he launched the popular podcast “The Office Deep Dive,” a nostalgic trip down memory lane with fellow Dunder Mifflin co-workers. He also recently published the book "The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin" (2024), a comedic twist on the classic tale that made the New York Times Best Seller list.
When not thrilling fans with books, podcasts, and a guest appearance on Suits LA, he spends time with his wife, Celeste Ackelson, and daughter at their Los Angeles home, likely cooking up a storm.
Catch new episodes of Suits LA Sundays at 9 p.m ET on NBC. Episodes stream the next day on Peacock.
