The world fell in love with “Suits” because of the inimitable pairing of Patrick J. Adams as newbie lawyer Mike Ross (who faked getting into law school) and Gabriel Macht as high-flying corporate lawyer Harvey Specter. It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing either role, but several other stars were in the running to play Specter in the USA Network series.
Adams was suggested for playing Mike Ross from the beginning, but Harvey Specter was much more difficult to cast because of the complicated nature of his character. He’s charming and fiercely loyal to his legal firm, but he also has a prickly temper that gets him in trouble far too often, so it’s a fine line for an actor to balance. In fact, USA Network nearly ruined “Suits” before a single scene was shot while figuring out Specter’s characterization.
Because Harvey is the other key part of “Suits” that makes it work, the show auditioned a number of stars for the role before landing on Macht. That list included a handful of stars, some of whom would later play other supporting characters across all nine seasons and the ill-fated “Suits: LA” spinoff.
Potential Harvey Specters included X-Men star Shawn Ashmore and the Arrowverse’s Matt Letscher
In 2025, the producers of “Suits” recalled trying to cast Harvey Specter in an oral history of the show’s pilot for Entertainment Weekly. The article confirmed a handful of actors who were in the running for the role, with casting director Bonnie Zane revealing that Patrick J. Adams screen tested as Mike opposite Shawn Ashmore, confirming that the “X-Men” star was in the running to play Specter.
Ashmore is best known for playing Bobby Drake aka Iceman in Fox’s “X-Men” trilogy. He didn’t land the “Suits” role, but he later starred as attorney Wesley Evers in “The Rookie.”
Matt Letscher was another candidate to play Specter, and later landed a role as Ted Black’s abusive father, Edward Brooks, on “Suits: LA.” The complicated history between father and son is a vital part of Ted’s overall story during the season as he grapples with the death of his younger brother Eddie (Carson A. Egan).
Some audiences might know Letscher better for his recurring role as Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash in the Arrowverse. Due to the villain’s penchant for time-travelling, he shows up numerous times in “The Flash,” “Arrow,” and “Legends of Tomorrow.”
Big Little Lies actor Jeffrey Nordling and S.W.A.T. star Jay Harrington were also up for the Suits role
Another name up for Harvey Specter was “Big Little Lies” star Jeffrey Nordling. He played Gordon Klein, the shady executive married to Renata Klein (Laura Dern) in the HBO series. As well as having roles in ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and “Nashville,” Nordling also appeared in Prime Video’s “The Man in the High Castle,” which is one of the best alternate history TV shows of all time.
Despite not winning the role, Nordling later appeared in “Suits” Season 8 and 9 as Eric Kaldor, one of the named partners of Specter Litt’s rival firm: Rand, Kaldor, & Zane. He was part of the failed plot to have Specter Litt sold to RKZ.
Jay Harrington, best known for playing Sgt. David Kay in the CBS action drama “S.W.A.T.,” was also considered to play Specter but didn’t make the cut. Instead, he later appeared in “Suits” Season 7 as Donna Paulsen’s (Sarah Rafferty) boyfriend, Mark Meadows. Ironically, the pair broke up because Paulsen always put her loyalty to Specter above her romantic relationships.
