Gabriel Macht On Harvey Specter’s Big Return And Passing The Torch In ‘Suits LA’ – Forbes
ByMonica MercuriByMonica Mercuri, Contributor. SUITS — “Cairo” Episode 904 — Pictured: Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter — (Photo by: Christos … [+] Kalohoridis/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)Gabriel Macht is one of the few actors to appear in all 134 episodes of Suits, the hit legal drama that ran on USA Network from 2011 to 2019. By the time the series wrapped, the father of two had spent nearly a decade working long nine-hour days. “It was a very big responsibility, and we made decisions for my family to do that many years,” he told me over Zoom.On Suits, Macht portrayed Harvey Specter, TV’s sharpest closer who lives by one simple rule: You don’t get lucky. You make your own luck. He remained with the series until the very end, even as co-stars like Gina Torres, Meghan Markle (The Duchess of Sussex), and Patrick J. Adams departed for personal reasons. By the show’s conclusion, he felt there was a clear “beginning, middle and end to these characters, to the stories.”The actor then stepped away from acting to prioritize his family and be fully present for everyday moments—taking his kids to school, picking them up, and attending their recitals and school plays. “You don’t have ownership of that when you’re locked into a series or production,” he explained.SUITS LA — “Batman Returns” Episode 104 — Pictured: (l-r) Stephen Amell as Ted Black, Gabriel Macht … [+] as Harvey Specter — (Photo by: Nicole Weingart/NBC via Getty Images)But then, four years after Suits aired its final episode, something unexpected happened. In July 2023, eight seasons arrived on Netflix, and the response was nothing short of extraordinary. It quickly became the platform’s most-streamed series of the year, introducing millions of new viewers to Harvey Specter’s undeniable charm.“I was definitely surprised by the sort of gargantuan size of those numbers,” Macht said, though he admitted it wasn’t entirely shocking given the show’s international success and the fact that it was one of the most pirated series at the time.In the wake of Suits’ Netflix takeover, NBC greenlit Suits LA, a new series from original creator Aaron Korsh. Set in the same universe as the original, the spinoff introduces a fresh cast of powerhouse lawyers, led by Arrow star Stephen Amell. When Macht first heard about the project, he thought it was a great idea for fans of the show.“My first reaction was, that’s great. That’s terrific,” he revealed. “There is this feeling of you want more, and Aaron Korsh, who’s the showrunner and writer, came up with this idea that made sense to put it in LA and start with a whole fresh cast and use his same syntax, rhythms, and witty dialog that you just can’t stop watching.”When Macht was asked to reprise his role as the beloved hot shot lawyer, he had a few reasons for saying yes. First, he appreciated the kindness and positivity from fans, and second, he wanted to officially pass the baton to the Suits LA cast.“I’m really doing it for the fans and to pass the baton over to this new set of actors who are going to create great characters for the show in LA. It’s my part of my way of supporting them and saying, ‘Hey, you guys, go with it. Take the ball and run,’” he said.SUITS L.A. — “Batman Returns” Episode 104 — Pictured: (l-r) Carson A. Egan as Eddie Black, Stephen … [+] Amell as Ted Black, Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter — (Photo by: Nicole Weingart/NBC via Getty Images)When we spoke, it was a few weeks before Macht was set to film his episodes for Suits LA. I asked if slipping back into his sharp-witted character would come naturally after all these years, and he was confident it would.“I feel like once I put the suit on, once I put the shoes on, yeah, I’ll be able to fall into character, whether or not I’ll be able to remember my lines. That’s another thing. But that was always the case from day one,” he quipped.Macht’s three-episode arc kicks off in the spinoff’s fourth episode, airing on March 16. The title, “Batman Returns,” isn’t just for show—Michael Keaton is Harvey Specter’s favorite Batman (according to ScreenRant), and his return feels like the comeback of a long-lost superhero who’s ready to save the day. “In the past, the danger of going against a mob boss sends Ted to an old friend,” the logline reads.Sunday’s episode will hopefully offer more insight into Harvey and Ted’s relationship in New York during a period that was particularly traumatic for Black, as seen through flashbacks throughout Season 1. “[Ted] and Harvey, they did work together in the prosecutor’s office, and they have a history together, and a strong bond, so that’s really the reason Harvey’s coming back is that [Stephen’s character] is in a bind, and Harvey wants to come and try and help him,” he continued.It’s no coincidence that Macht and Amell’s characters feel strikingly similar, from their mannerisms to the way they navigate high-stakes legal battles. “The two of them really do come from the same cloth,” he said, noting that they both share an “uber confidence” that might just be masking some deeper demons. “The two of them are really sort of, you know, type A c*cky bastards that will have fun one-upping each other.”Longtime fans of the show will be thrilled to know that Specter isn’t the only familiar face returning to Suits LA. NBC recently announced that Rick Hoffman will reprise his role as Louis Litt, everyone’s favorite mud-bath-loving, cat-obsessed lawyer, in upcoming episodes.Gabriel Macht in Bear Fight Whiskey campaign.After Suits wrapped, Macht was ready to explore new creative outlets. That’s when Bear Fight Whiskey reached out, leading to a partnership where he now serves as a spokesperson, creative partner, and equity shareholder.“I’ve really enjoyed wearing a different hat. I’ve done acting, I’ve done directing and producing, and now I’m a partner as a creative director,” he said, noting that he enjoys collaborating with advertisers, marketers, and sales teams to figure out how to “tell a story and a narrative on a much smaller time scale”—all within the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., which is when his kids are in school.He starred in the brand’s first-ever advertising campaign, where he hilariously traded blows with a man in a bear suit. The campaign’s theme, “What’s Your Bear Fight?” encourages people to use the whisky as a toast to celebrate everyday battles. And as Macht puts it, “everybody has a bear fight, right?” The ad was even featured in New York Times’ best Super Bowl commercials (despite not actually being a Super Bowl commercial).”We love that narrative—what risks do you need to take, and what challenges should you lean into to deepen your life, grow, and push yourself?” Tying his partnership to the Suits world is just the tip of the iceberg. But some things never change, and Harvey’s love for Macallan is one of them.Suits L.A. airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock.Watch a teaser for Macht’s first episode on Suits LA, below.
