Gabriel Macht has a message for fans who study law because of Suits

Gabriel Macht says he feels bad for people who take up law because of his show Suits, and always tells them the same thing.

In the 1980s, the glitz and glamour of NBC’s hit legal drama LA Law convinced a generation to become lawyers. And it sounds like Suits has had a similar effect in the 2000s.

The show – which premiered on the USA Network in 2011 – revolved around a successful attorney teaming up with a college dropout who never attended law school, but does have a brilliant mind and photographic memory.

The series ran for nine seasons and 134 episodes across eight years, and received a new lease of life when it dropped on Netflix in 2023, meaning Suits is now more popular than ever.

Why Gabriel Macht says sorry to lawyers who love Suits

Gabriel Macht plays Harvey Specter, the aforementioned attorney, and says he feels bad that the character inspired so many to enter the legal profession, where reality is quite different to what Suits presents onscreen.

“There are so many kids that have gone to law school because of the show,” Macht tells People. “Because they think it’s fast-moving, there’s family, there’s loyalties, it’s cool, it’s slick. People are witty. There’s a lot of drama, all this kind of stuff. When people come up to me and they’re like, ‘I went to law school because of you,’ I always apologize profusely.”

Macht adds that he says to fans: “I’m sorry. If you like to read, that is great because you’re going to sit with a book, like this, for hours.”

The recent success of Suits on Netflix has also resulted spin-off Suits LA getting a green light. The new show will introduce new characters, but protagonist Ted Black (Steven Amell) goes way back with Harvey Specter, meaning Macht will be cameoing in the forthcoming first season.

And he wishes the new Suits lawyers well, telling People: “I’m excited for them to take the ball and run with it.”

Suits LA premieres on February 23 on NBC. Head here for everything we know about Suits LA, or here for all the major players in the Suits LA cast.