The cast of USA Network’s new legal drama The Rainmaker is giving John Grisham fans a closer look at how the series pays homage to the original 1995 novel and the 1997 Francis Ford Coppola film adaptation.

Milo Callaghan, who plays the main character Rudy Baylor, told Shadow and Act that he went “straight back to the book” to learn more about his character and motivations. He said the firm his character works at, J. Lyman Stone, was “one of hundreds” of ambulance-chasing firms, but it grows beyond that thanks to Rudy’s convictions and care for clients.

“What sets us apart is our personalities. … I think what sets them apart is the heart,” said Callaghan. “I think there’s a sense that when you come in here… there’s a twinkle in [characters’] eye. Even though Rudy brings back a sense of caring and a search for the truth… I think the heart of those characters is what sets them apart.”

John Slattery, who plays Leo F. Drummond, the head of the posh law firm Tinley Britt, said his character is someone who has made being a lawyer his life, even to the detriment of his personal life, including several failed marriages.

“You find out that Leo is in hot water,” he said. “His approach to the law is a young lawyer who did well early on and worked his way up to the head of this big firm by being smart and cagey and probably of somewhat dubious morality, but anything that would back him up legally. He does what he has to do. … I think it’s his life.”

What the cast says about their characters

While Rudy will be going up against Drummond and the Tinley Britt lawyers, Rudy is also influencing his J. Lyman Stone coworkers, including characters played by Lana Parrilla and P. J. Byrne, among others.

Parrilla, who plays the head of the firm, Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone, described how her character is on a journey to separate herself from her father, who gave his name to the firm. She also reconnects with her love for the law thanks to Rudy.

“I think for Bruiser, being an underdog is probably not something she feels. Bruiser wants to win and she will do whatever it takes to win,” she said. “Looking at her posse of people, she needs someone like Rudy. He’s young, he’s hungry, he’s smart, he’s a go-getter. He’s assertive, and Bruiser has kind of… fell into a pattern mostly prompted by her father and how he set up this firm… and Rudy sort of awakens that young lawyer in her who used to really fight for the moral aspects of what’s right.”

Byrne called his character Deck Shifflet “the greatest cheerleader for anybody of all time.” He said Deck also gets back to his legal roots thanks to Rudy’s earnestness.

“He’s not intimidated by anyone, he’s not afraid of anything, but I think he has become jaded over time and goes for the low-hanging fruit,” said Byrne. “When Rudy comes along, he reminds me what the law should be, why we’re really fighting for good.”

Tommie Earl Jenkins plays Prince Thomas, who owns the bar where Rudy works before beginning his legal career. Prince is also connected to Rudy’s next job at J. Lyman Stone due to his longtime friendship with Bruiser’s father.

“Bruiser, for me, I would say she is very close to me. I hold her quite dear because J. Lyman Stone and I go way back,” he said. “I sense I’m sort of a brother to her. She knows who I am. I think she questions my motives, but there’s never anything ill [in that]. As thuggish as I might be, I consider myself a thug with a heart of gold.”

How the series honors John Grisham’s story

Gemma-Leah Devereux, who plays one of Rudy’s witnesses, Jackie Lemancyzk, described the series as one that’s faithful to Grisham’s original story. She said she was excited to be a part of the series after reading the scripts and immediately wanting the final episode script from her agent.

“I just think in general if you have that feeling about any type of script, it’s going to be class on TV,” she said, describing how well she thought the series was written. “I think the John Grisham fans are going to be satisfied with this because I do have to say having now read the script to the series, I’ve seen the movie and read the book… if you’re a fan of the John Grisham book you’re going to really love the series because you see so many of the characters that are in the book. It dives more into it. I think they’re going to eat it up.”

The Rainmaker airs Fridays at 10/9c on USA and is streaming on Peacock.