The star of ‘Suits’ is in Jozi as he partners up with DStv for their brand new premium campaign – and we caught up with him!
His dashing good looks, his dress sense and his charismatic character Harvey Spector has made Gabriel Macht a household name. Now, in collaboration with DStv, the actor has spent the last five days in South Africa shooting promos for DStv’s upcoming campaign which will break on the 18th of September. We had a chat with the actor and discussed his collaboration with the broadcaster as well as the show that has catapulted him into superstardom.
You’re on a show called ‘Suits’ which requires you to wear a suit quite often. What style tips have you received from appearing on the show?
Well, I’m more of a Jeans and a T-Shirt kind of guy. When I started on the show, suits for me were for weddings and funerals. I wouldn’t be caught in a suit unless I was playing a character or going to an event. With that said, now I get to wear the most beautiful suits in the world. They’re very comfortable and I don’t mind wearing them. Tips? What makes a great suit is a great tailor.
You play quite a strong character. How do you disassociate yourself from Harvey in your everyday life?
I find myself very different from Harvey. He is a type A, pretty aggressive guy who is always on a mission. Winning is everything for him. He puts people in their place and he can be quite in your face. That being said, he does have a heart of gold so I guess I can resonate with him on that level. As I’ve gotten older and as the show has become more successful, fame has turned my life around and there are moments where I become more like Harvey when people recognize me on the street sometime. He comes with the territory, though, and I could not be more appreciative of the show.
Do you ever feel pressure when it comes to being known as the quintessential fashion guy on the show?
No, not really. My wife used to think that I have the worst style in the world and I like to wear normal pants and board shorts and I’ve stuck with that in my personal life. I throw on a pair of jeans and a pair of boots and it’s done. I don’t let that stuff get to me.
How are you enjoying South Africa so far?
I’ve been here for five days and I have been working nights. I am still on the Eastern Standard time zone from the United States so I haven’t had any jetlag so far and that’s because I’ve been watching DStv in my hotel room during my spare time. I plan on coming back here around February or March and do the sightseeing and the rest of the country. What I have seen has been terrific. You have a beautiful country and I can’t wait to come experience the culture again soon. I went to the Baxter theatre and I saw Atandwa Kani in Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and he is phenomenal. I have seen a lot of theatre all around the world and I saw some of the best acting I have seen in years!
There are a lot of powerful women on the show. What was it like working with them?
Donna, played by Sarah Rafferty, is one of my oldest and dearest friends. We go back around 20 years and I encouraged the producers to watch her audition. I think she had one line in the pilot and she has created a role bigger than anyone’s wildest imagination and is just this incredible powerhouse. It’s great to be involved in that. I find that the strongest characters on the show are the women and they just have wonderful stories.
Suits, for Patrick J Adams has been a big show for him because he is just starting out his career and you guys have such amazing chemistry on the show. What has it been like working with him?
Patrick is a lovely guy. He is probably one of the brightest people on set. He has great intuition and i love his natural instinct and overwhelming connection to his emotional side which I think is just phenomenal. I am a bit more seasoned because I have been in films for the past 15 years and he is just starting out but we had a lunch just before we started shooting the pilot and looked at each other and said that if we bring any ego to this set, everything is just going to crumble so let’s just keep each other in check and create a collaborative set where we can take risks, make mistakes and just learn from each other. We have kept this show going because we all really care about each other.
Your father has a long acting career and even did a cameo on Suits. What has been the most valuable piece of advice he has given you?
My father worked on a film and two plays with Charlton Heston and while they were having a moment on the film, Charlton looked at him and said to him “Steven, stand up straight and say the f*cking line.” My dad told me that one day and I thought when all else fails, just stand up straight and say the line. I thought that was pretty good advice. My parents have always believed in me and have been proud of my success and I think that the best advice he gave me is “If you want to be an actor, go learn what you’re doung” so I went to study for four years at drama school and I went to learn my craft. The primary thing, however, is that he always taught me to believe in myself.
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