Every once in a while, there’s a situation in which a network show hits Netflix and ends up drumming up serious buzz on the streamer. Manifest fans may remember when the sci-fi drama trended high and parlayed that momentum into a final season pickup-on the service. Well, more recently, it’s the beloved USA Network legal drama Suits that’s proven to be a massive draw amongst subscribers. In the midst of the resurgence, some cast and crew members have been speaking out. One of the latest to do so is lead actor Gabriel Macht, who used the viral moment to discuss the ongoing actors strike.
What Gabriel Macht Had To Say As Suits’ Streaming Dominance Continues
For eight years (and nine seasons), Gabriel Macht played the role of top litigator Harvey Specter and made a splash with viewers. He’s apparently been (mostly) enthused by the show’s resurgence within the streaming realm. Despite that, he seems to have a firm understanding of how crucial a time this is for him and his fellow entertainers. Macht took to Instagram to acknowledge that Suits broke a record for 3.4 million minutes downloaded via streaming in the US. While he’s “humbled” by the series’ continued popularity, he also emphasized why he supports the SAG-AFTRA actors strike. To make his point, he even quoted his beloved character:
As Harvey Specter once said, ‘I don't play the odds, I play the man.’ I’ll take ‘that’ from him…. I stand in solidarity with my actors union, SAG/AFTRA and the writers union, WGA, to demand a fair share of the rewards for those who put in long hours and sacrifice their personal lives to create the content we ALL love. The issue of inequality in the entertainment industry means we must ‘Play the Man’ and support the creators and demand us, storytellers, receive fair compensation. It’s irresponsible to allow the few to benefit at the expense of the many.
The 51-year-old actor seems to be referencing streaming service residuals, which have been a main point of contention for both the actors and WGA writers strikes. While making his appeal, the star called for the public to “make right” when it comes to studios’ “unwillingness to share the streaming profits.” He also mentioned actors’ concerns that AI will become commonplace within the entertainment industry along with the general decline of residuals. All in all, the Spirit star believes “the current system is driven by greed and power” and that people must “demand greater accountability in the business to ensure the sustainability of the industry.”
Gabriel Macht had already spoken out on his show’s recent success as of late by sharing an Instagram video in which he shared his delight over it. He also talked about meeting a fan who watched Suits in its entirety 17 times and, with that, he challenged other viewers to stream to their heart’s content as well. In addition to all that though, it sounds like Macht also wants to ensure that he and his colleagues are seeing the appropriate monetary benefits of such viewership.
What Have Other Suits Alums Said Amid The Netflix Surge?
While the drama series has been widely popular on Netflix, the writers have been opening up about the little money they apparently making from it Former series scribe Lilla Zuckerman explained that in 2016, she “received $12,568.57 in residuals” for the Season 5 episode “Blowback.” However, she more recently brought home “the grand total of $414.26 during this recent craze. Others involved with the show haven’t been happy, either. Ethan Drogin revealed that when it comes to the Season 1 episode “Identity Crisis,” he only received $259.71 as a result of this viral moment.
The continued popularity is honestly hard to deny, and it’s even gotten to the point that some are wondering if new episodes of Suits might be produced. EP Gene Klein addressed that possibility, saying that nothing is officially in the works right now, though he’s aware of the fact that he could get a call about a new season at any moment. One would think that much of the cast and crew would return. However, if they did, given this climate, it’s possible that they’d follow Gabriel Macht’s lead in asking for fair pay for their renewed services and past work.
In the meantime, anyone who wants to revisit Suits or watch it for the very first time, can grab a Netflix subscription and binge it.
