Some interviews feel like interviews. Others feel like you’ve just wandered into the middle of a great party.
Sitting down with The Rainmaker’s PJ Byrne (Deck Shifflet) and Robyn Cara (Kelly Riker) was firmly in the latter camp.
The two were riding high on press day, laughing, teasing each other, and radiating the kind of camaraderie you hope exists off-screen when the characters on screen are so richly drawn.
On The Rainmaker, PJ’s Deck is Rudy Baylor’s fast-talking, morally flexible partner-in-law — a para-lawyer with more charm than credentials and a knack for sniffing out opportunity.
He’s the guy who can work a room, work a lead, and probably work a few angles you’d rather not know about, all while keeping the banter flowing.
Robyn’s Kelly, meanwhile, is one of the show’s most emotionally complex figures. Living in the same apartment building as Rudy, she’s quietly navigating an abusive marriage while secretly planning her escape.
Her path crosses with Rudy’s at just the right (or wrong) moment, sparking a connection that offers her a glimmer of hope — and a reminder of who she is outside her circumstances.
Finding the Family on Set
For PJ, the easy chemistry you see between Deck, Rudy, and Bruiser starts with genuine friendship.
“When you’re shooting in another country and away from your family, it can be a super bummer,” he says. “But when you have great people to work with, they become your family. If that shows up on screen, that’s when the real magic happens.”
Food became part of that magic, too. PJ went out of his way to source meals from real Charleston restaurants — Borketta Shop, Lewis Barbecue, Bake Shop — to add authenticity.
“Everything I’m eating, that’s the real wrapping, that’s really what it looks like. Go check them out if you’re in Charleston!”
Kelly’s Struggle, Kelly’s Hope
While Deck spends most of his screen time scheming and bantering, Kelly’s story is much heavier.
Robyn describes her as “trapped in an abusive marriage, saving up money to try and leave him — one of the most dangerous times for anyone in that situation.”
Meeting Rudy offers a glimmer of light. “He’s such a kind soul,” she says. “He sees a different side of her. She can kind of just be Kelly again instead of Kelly in this situation.”
That bond with Milo Callaghan (Rudy) began well before filming. The two met in London after being cast, grabbing coffee, going sea swimming, and sharing dinners. “We all bonded as a group really, really well,” Robyn says.
Raising the Stakes
Deck’s world — and the show’s — expands with the addition of the Melvin Pritcher storyline, unique to the series. PJ loves the energy it adds.
“Anytime you can raise the stakes and have an element of death at any moment, you’re a little more on the edge of your seat,” he says.
Working with Dan Fogler in this darker role was a bonus. “I think the world is going to be enamored with him doing this.”
It’s part of what PJ calls the show’s biggest strength: “There are a lot of characters and a lot of show. There’s like five different shows going on, and you know each one. That’s a feather in our cap — you get a lot of show for only ten episodes.”
A Blue Sky Homecoming
Both actors are excited to be part of what they see as a return to USA Network’s “Blue Sky” era — a time when the network was known for character-driven dramas you wanted to spend time with.
“They’re pumped about it,” PJ says. “You can feel the genuine excitement. They want us to succeed, and it’s an honor to hopefully bring that back.”
Robyn’s addition? “Ditto.”
You can’t manufacture that kind of connection behind the scenes. When it’s real, you know it.
See what this cast is like in action when The Rainmaker premieres on USA Network at 10/9c on Friday, August 15. You can read our early review to get a sense of what to expect, too!
PJ Byrne & Robyn Cara Bring Heart, Humor, and a Little Sea Swimming to The Rainmaker
PJ Byrne and Robyn Cara talk friendship, food, and sea swimming while bringing Deck and Kelly to life in The Rainmaker — and why USA’s return feels special.
The Rainmaker Early Review: A Legal Drama That Remembers TV Is Supposed to Be Fun
USA Network’s The Rainmaker proves TV still needs legal dramas that entertain without exhausting, with fresh faces, seasoned pros, and cases worth watching.
Your Official Rainmaker Prep Kit: 13 Legal Thrillers and Blue Sky Favorites to Get You Courtroom-Ready
Get in fighting shape for The Rainmaker! 13 high-stakes legal thrillers & Blue Sky favorites to prime you for USA’s next big courtroom win.
The post PJ Byrne & Robyn Cara Bring Heart, Humor, and a Little Sea Swimming to The Rainmaker appeared first on TV Fanatic.