Ever since 2011, Gabriel Macht has been known for his role in the legal drama, Suits. Although the actor has built a reputation for himself as the iconic yet terrifying Harvey Specter, his success came years before he joined the series. In fact, the 52-year-old had already been a part of quite a few major films and franchises like The Spirit, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Sex and the City.
Seven years before he donned the sharp suits and power ties that would define his iconic role, Macht starred in a lesser-known film alongside two major stars, Scarlett Johansson and John Travolta. The movie, A Love Song for Bobby Long, was released in 2004 with a modest budget of $1.8 million, but it has since become a hidden gem for fans of all three actors.
Gabriel Macht shares his thoughts on A Love Song for Bobby Long
Back in 2004, Gabriel Macht got the chance to team up with Scarlett Johansson and John Travolta in the drama, A Love Song for Bobby Long. Although the film did not fare too well after its release, it wound up being a pivotal moment in his career, allowing him to showcase his range as an actor.
Unlike his role in Suits, where he played the confident, witty, and often ruthless Harvey Specter, his character Lawson Pines was introspective, reserved, and grappling with his own insecurities. In an interview with Paul Fischer, the 52-year-old opened up about his opinion on the film, which got a 44% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
I actually think that each scene – if you take just a frame here and there is like a piece of art, is a work of art.
Although Macht thought the film was sure to be a success, viewers thought it fell a little short. After all, the movie centered on Johansson’s character dealing with her mother’s untimely passing. However, when she returns home, she finds the Suits star’s and Travolta’s character living in the childhood house.
With so many mixed emotions, the film ended up capturing the attention of many fans. However, it was only the beginning of Macht’s collaborations with Johansson.
Gabriel Macht and Scarlett Johansson’s second collaboration
In 2008, Gabriel Macht and Scarlett Johansson teamed up once again for The Spirit. The film was set to be a neo-noir superhero movie directed by Frank Miller. It was based on Will Eisner’s classic comic strip, marking a unique collaboration between the two stars, with the 52-year-old playing the titular hero, Denny Colt, and the actress taking on the role of Silken Floss, a mysterious femme fatale.
For Macht, the role was a significant step as it allowed him to portray a comic book hero with a dark, stylish twist, combining elements of action, drama, and humor. In fact, during the same interview with Paul Fisher, the actor opened up about what attracted him to join the film’s cast.
Well, he’s an incredible guy. He’s so bright, and very charismatic and pretty hilarious. He’s a really funny man. So that was a huge attraction. And not to mention working on a film that was taken from one of the pioneers of the comic book industry, Will Eisner. It’s not the most famous comic book in the world, but he did start it off in the early ’40s.
Apart from working with people who knew what they were doing, Macht also revealed that playing a superhero was something he had long wanted to check off on his list. The actor also added, “There’s something about being involved in something that has a lot of potential, as far as a visionary masterpiece.”
Although Macht seemed to have hope for his second collaboration with Johansson, it wound up falling short. In fact, the film fared so badly that it only received a 14% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stream Gabriel Macht’s A Love Song for Bobby on Apple TV+
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