When he was in Pittsburgh at CMU, Bomer lived at different times in Shadyside, Squirrel Hill and Oakland, and he played a bag boy in a Giant Eagle TV commercial. He maintains contact with CMU professor of voice/speech Don Wadsworth, who served as his dialect coach when Bomer had to speak Italian and French in an early “White Collar” episode.

Although Bomer previously had a recurring role on NBC’s “Chuck” (as the spy Bryce Larkin) and starred in ABC’s 2007 series “Traveler,” “White Collar” represents a break-out role for the actor. USA put a lot of marketing money behind the show’s premiere, including huge billboard photos of Bomer that went up in the country’s largest TV markets.

“It’s obviously completely surreal,” he said of seeing himself two stories high. “But the great thing about it is it feels so good to have a network so strongly behind us. Whatever it takes, I’m happy with. I would much rather that than, ‘Oh, yeah, another one of our shows.’ There was a certain point where I wanted to lock myself in my studio apartment for a week or two, but I’m just thankful they’re behind us.”

The support has now extended the show to a second season. Production resumes in March or April in New York.

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