Gabriel Macht Breaks Down ‘Suits LA’ Arc & Playing Batman One Day, Maybe

SPOILER ALERT: The following reveals major plot points from tonight’s NBC Suits LA episode.

Gabriel Macht completed his three-episode arc on NBC’s Suits LA on Sunday night, returning as Harvey Specter, the debonair longtime friend of the spinoff’s lead character, Ted Black (Stephen Amell).

Deadline visited the Universal Studios set of the legal drama in March to observe scenes from episode 108, where Macht was joined by Amell and Troy Winbush, who plays Kevin. As someone who covered the mothership series Suits multiple times during its original run on USA Network (2011-2019), seeing Macht suited up and bringing that Harvey swagger back as if no time had passed was a spectacular sight.

During a chat with Macht in March, he shared that he carries Harvey inside him and sometimes channels the character when the moment calls for it. Although he thought he would never play Harvey again after the series concluded, Macht was compelled to support show creator Aaron Korsh on his new endeavor because, creatively, it made sense. It’s the official melding of these two Suits properties, further converging with the return of Daniel Hardman (David Costabile) in tonight’s episode and Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt in an upcoming episode. Unfortunately, Macht did not reunite with either of his former co-stars this time around, but if NBC picks up a second season, the possibilities are endless, I’ve been told.

Macht first appeared in Episode 4, aptly titled ‘Batman Returns’, in a flashback, revealing Harvey and Ted in earlier years when they were prosecutors in New York. The connection is front and center because, in the present day, Harvey has the keys to help his old friend out with a case that has reemerged. It’s not just any case; it’s probably the biggest case in Ted’s life, because the criminal at the center of the case, mobster John Pellegrini (Anthony Azizi), was behind the murder of Ted’s beloved brother Eddie (Carson A. Egan).

Below are photos from our set visit and a Q&A with Macht, who discusses his experience on the set of Suits LA, working closely with Amell, and who is the only director he would work with if they invited him to play Batman.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Our interview with Macht was done before a screener of episodes 108 and 109 was available. Questions were asked vaguely regarding what was to come, and the actor helped shade in various details without giving spoilers. He brought up that a special surprise was ahead that he would not be discussing, which turned out to be the big reveal on tonight’s episode, “Bat Signal,” where Ted reveals Harvey and his wife Donna (Sarah Rafferty) have a son.

DEADLINE: Gabriel, it’s been years since you last played Harvey Specter. Was it easy to slip back into character?

GABRIEL MACHT: Once you put on the suit, the rest is like riding a bike; it comes naturally. I get in touch with all the elements and the behaviors that make Harvey, and that are me, that you mesh. So, it wasn’t too hard. For the past few years, I’ve done some brand ambassadorships where the idea of the guy selling whatever it is, is this sort of the Harvey character, which is already in me. But putting on a suit and the shoes is a little different than putting on a baseball uniform and cleats. [Laughs] I had a really nice time. It was great.

DEADLINE: Since I got to be on set for the taping of Episode 108 recently, I got a preview of Harvey’s relationship with Ted Black (Stephen Amell), both in flashback and present day. You and Stephen have great chemistry, which translates flawlessly on screen. It was palpable that Harvey and Ted shared history and that they are supportive of one another. What insight can you give into building that camaraderie with Stephen?

GM: Stephen is a really good actor, and he’s a good leader. He’s a real stable guy, and it feels like he’s super grounded and straight, and doesn’t seem like he deals in drama. I like to focus on the work or making it a comfortable, respectful space. I told him, “Look, if you have any ideas you want to throw at me, go ahead. If you’re cool with that, great. If not, don’t worry. It’s all good. We’ll find it.’ And we did, I think we did. He was super kind to me and incredibly welcoming. His leadership showed, and we had a good time on set.

DEADLINE: Being on set, I observed the cast and crew, and everyone looked excited to have you there. You’re the OG Suits star, and it felt like a passing of the torch, in many ways. I’m sure everyone appreciated you bridging the two shows together. What was the vibe like from your POV?

GM: It didn’t feel like that to me. I don’t see all that. I’m a professional. [He shared through a shy smile while being modest] I understand that there’s a whole library of episodes of the original show, and people can fan out on it, and they love it, and that’s great. But we had work to do, so we were pretty focused. We had great chemistry. For being number 46 on the call sheet, I was warmly welcomed by the crew and the cast. It was awesome. And you know what? Suits LA is different than the original, and they’re creating their own unique storytelling. It has some of the same themes, but they are up and running. I appreciated being a part of the show and supporting it as I could.

DEADLINE: Dave Costabile will appear in Episode 109 with you. What was it like to be back together in the Suits Universe?

GM: He’s the Easter egg that comes up. I love David; he’s a fantastic actor who created this incredible character. God, you love to hate this guy. Unfortunately, I did not have screen time with him, so I was a little upset by that. I didn’t get to see him. But he’s a friend of mine, and I send him so much love, support, and success. He’s already an incredibly successful guy. It will be fun for the fans to see how he was involved in this case.

DEADLINE: The Batman and Robin nicknames are also back. But this time, it’s Harvey and Ted instead of between Harvey and Mike (Patrick J. Adams). Why does Batman resonate so much with Harvey and the fans?

GM: I think there’s an element to Harvey where he’s just gonna make things right, and sometimes he’s gonna do things that go against the system or the way things work. He has integrity, and he’s got a heart of gold. I think that’s why he resonates with people. Look, it’s a nice thing to be thought of like that. It was a lot of fun to play. I think fans were a little upset or a little charged that Harvey and Ted have some Batman and Robin stuff, because if you go back to some of the original episodes, there’s a lot of that too. Aaron [Korsh] may get a little heart for that, but that’s Aaron and not me. [Laughs] It’s all in good fun, and people had a fun time with it.

DEADLINE: Would you, Gabriel Macht, the actor, ever consider playing Batman?

GM: Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the older Batman one day. If Frank Miller came calling and said, “I want you to be the older Batman,” I would have to seriously consider that. But Robert Pattinson is doing a great job, and he’s got many years ahead of him as Batman.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.