Harvey Specter Didn’t Just Change Our Lives, But Also Made a Huge Difference in Gabriel Macht’s Personal Life 

If you’ve ever watched Suits, you know exactly who Harvey Specter is. He’s that slick, confident, corporate lawyer who seems to have it all figured out—sharp suits, quick comebacks, and a glass of whiskey always in hand. But what if we told you that playing such a character didn’t just change his career, it changed the actor who played him as well?

That’s exactly what happened to Gabriel Macht, the actor who brought Harvey Specter to life for nearly a decade. At first, Macht wasn’t anything like Harvey. He was more relaxed, laid-back, and not the type to manipulate or control situations.

But as the years went by, the actor started to take on more of Harvey’s traits, and by season six, even his brother noticed. Macht was starting to resemble the very character he was playing. Stick with us as we dive into how the role of Harvey Specter affected his life—on screen and off—and how he’s using those lessons to tackle new ventures today.

Gabriel Macht Revealed How Playing Harvey Specter Transformed His Life

When Gabriel Macht first joined Suits, he was the total opposite of his character, Harvey Specter. He described himself as more of a relaxed, fun-loving guy who wanted to avoid confrontation and simply enjoy life. Harvey, on the other hand, was all about power, control, and winning at any cost.

In fact, if you’d asked anyone on set in the early days, they would have said Macht was up like Harvey. But as the show went on, the star found himself slipping more and more into his character. He became more ambitious and assertive and started to adopt some of Harvey’s characteristics, like his confidence and his drive to always win. Macht told E! News:

At a certain point, you become more like Harvey as you go in, and it’s very hard to shake some of the energy that dresses you while you’re in that world. I became a lot more like Harvey than I was when I started, which was another reason why I needed time away—to allow him to go back to where he came from.

By season six, his own family noticed the change. Even his brother started questioning if Macht was starting to act a bit too much like Harvey. But, as we all know, playing a character like Harvey comes with its ups and downs. While Macht embraced Harvey’s confidence, he was careful to leave behind the more negative traits, like selfishness and manipulation.

Gabriel Macht Shares Unexpected Similarity with Harvey Specter

Gabriel Macht might insist he’s nothing like Harvey Specter, but there’s one thing they totally click on: whiskey. He’s right there with him. The 52-year-old joked in the same interview, like the chillest whiskey ambassador ever:

One of the roles I’ve played in my career resonated with drinking whiskey. Harvey Specter liked to drink on some good days and some challenging days for different reasons, but always responsibly.

Harvey’s love for whiskey was a big part of his stylish and confident persona, and it seems like that part of the character rubbed off on Macht. While he doesn’t share Harvey’s cutthroat attitude or obsession with power, he does appreciate a good drink now and then. It’s a small but fun way that the actor and the character are alike.

Even though the Bronx native insists he’s not Harvey in real life, this little connection makes it easy to imagine him raising a glass and toasting to success—just like Harvey would.

Suits is available to stream on Peacock!