We interviewed Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay about the White Collar series finale, “Au Revoir“ which airs Thursday night on USA Network.
For years, we watched Neal (Matt Bomer), Peter (Tim DeKay), and the whole slew of characters – from Elizabeth, to Mozzie, to the FBI team – uncover the mysteries of white collar crime.
White Collar will come to a conclusion tomorrow night with the season 6, episode 6 “Au Revoir” finale, but as far as Bomer and DeKay are concerned, the character’s stories don’t end when the screen fades to black. Though they were tight-lipped about what happens in the finale, they didn’t hold back their enthusiasm and adoration for the show.
Below is a selection of the interview, which has been edited for length.
What can you tease us about the finale?
There is a great familial sense to this episode, certainly the caper or the heist I should say in this instance is wonderful. And many questions that people have had throughout the seasons about White Collar will be answered.
Why do you think Neal and Peter were such a successful partnership?
Matt: Tim DeKay. Because of Tim DeKay.
Tim: No, because of Matt Bomer. His spirit and his kindness and his grace. I think honestly the key to Neal and Peter certainly it started with the writing. Jeff Eastin wrote these great guys and I – I’ll say that I – Matt and I work extremely well together and we respect each other and we listen to each other and we – I think the fun that we have, Matt and Tim have, working together comes across as Peter and Neal having a good time working together as well.
It’s just, you know, it’s and it’s all inherent in the writing. It’s very interesting to watch these two guys that you would not think would get along and they do.
How satisfied were you with the series finale?
Matt: I mean that’s a complicated question because you’re wrapping up so many things in such a period of time. I was really satisfied in some ways and in some ways I would have been interested to explore other avenues as well. I mean I think there was still directions to go. But I think the way they wrapped it up was really well done in the sense that they didn’t try to tie everything up into a nice bow. They really left some things open ended and left a lot up the viewer’s imagination which I always think is more potent than anything you could put down on a piece of paper.
Were there any story arcs or little adventures that you would have loved to have taken your characters on?
There’s so much skill involved in a scene like that and the rhythm and being in New York City and filming it on an active street and that’s something that, you know, I would be intimidated as a writer to try to even attempt. And our entire staff did such an incredible job of capturing that camaraderie and that dynamic and, you know, those were always my favorite. I, you know, you can always think of things that could have happened or would have happened but I was always really excited on those days to do those scenes because I knew something fun was going to happen and Tim was going to surprise me with something and that we would both have a smile on our face at the end of the scene.
Tim: The writers always wrote much more than what was allowed for the dolly track which holds the camera to allow on a, you know, block. So we’d – it would be a dance of figuring out when can we stop. When can we – who then starts us walking again? And can we turn a corner? Would it be great to not – to turn a corner or not. All these just great things. And of course decisions having to made – be made within a matter of what seemed like seconds because we were always up against the clock.
Do you have any hopes for what your characters would do after the series ended?
Tim: Well I certainly don’t want to give you any spoilers but I will say this. I know exactly what my character would do right as soon as the episode goes to black. I know exactly what happens the next day for Peter Burke.
Do you have any final words for your fans or any kind of message for the fans of White Collar?
Matt: Oh, I think this entire final [season] – look we have the most incredible fans for the show. We really do. I mean we probably had 42 different time slots over the course of six seasons and this incredible group of people stood by us and supported and followed us wherever the network put us on and after they put us on. And their outpourings and expressions of support over the years have really for me bolstered me during difficult times or when, you know, the workload was really intense.
I just think this entire season was for them. And I just hope that they were able to, you know, have some kind of closure with the series and to enjoy these final six episodes and get to spend a little, you know, last six hours – to get to spend another six hours with these characters. And I just hope that they’re happy with the way things turned out.
Tim: Yes I share those sentiments as well. What a great group. It’s just such a wonderful feeling I get from many of the fans who have tweeted or Instagrammed or been on the set and shouted out something across the street. They’ve been incredible and certainly have been a big part of this wonderful journey that we’ve been on for the last six seasons.