"When it came to shooting, he turned out to be a complete natural" - When Michael Phelps made a cameo appearance in Suits
In 2014, legendary swimmer Michael Phelps made headlines by making a guest appearance at USA’s top-rated legal drama Suits in its third installment. Being a swimmer, the 38-year-old received immense appreciation from fans for his surprisingly brilliant acting skills.
Before appearing in Suits season 3, Michael Phelps had expressed his love for the series. Moreover, by the third season, its makers decided to cast the swimmer in a significant guest appearance revolving around the dominant characters in the series, Harvey Specter and Dana "Scottie" Scott.
In the series, the 23-time Olympic gold medallist played the role of a star athlete that Dana Scott (Abigail Spencer) was determined to land for the law firm. Throughout his part in the series, Michael Phelps carried an attitude as cool as a cucumber and enhanced his scenes with his charismatic presence.
Moreover, lead actor Gabriel Macht was blown away by Phelps’ acting in the series. In an interview with USA Today, he shared his first meeting with the retired swimmer. He revealed that he first saw him getting a haircut and was starstruck, and his reaction made the swimmer giggle for a while.
They apparently developed a great bond and even hung out together. Talking about Michael Phelps’ acting skills, Macht said in January 2014:
"When it came to shooting, he turned out to be complete natural.”
Macht also added that the series would love to have him back sometime again. The show, however, ended in 2019 after nine seasons, with Phelps not appearing on it after his season three cameo.
Michael Phelps was the first choice for the titular role in The Legend of Tarzan
In 2016, Michael Phelps became the no. 1 choice for the titular role of The Legend of Tarzan. Producer Jerry Weintraub was the one who viewed the swimmer as the perfect cast for the role of Tarzan. He reportedly saw the same qualities in him in comparison to the original Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller.
Just like Phelps, Weissmuller was also an Olympic swimmer who transitioned into acting after dominating the pool with 67 world records. Moreover, both of them had similar physiques, which made Phelps an ideal contender to be the next Tarzan.
However, due to bad timing, the swimmer lost the opportunity to play the role of the beloved fictional character. In 2008, Phelps appeared in an episode of Saturday Night Live.
The August cover story of Vanity Fair in 2016 revealed why producer Jerry Weintraub changed his mind about casting Phelps after watching his SNL gig. Vanity Fair writer Rich Cohen shared that he sat with Weintraub when he was watching the swimmer's monologue on the show. He revealed the late producer's reaction in the magazine:
"As he watched Phelps's monologue, I watched him, his mood shifting from excited to perturbed, green to red. Two minutes in, Jerry turned to his assistant and shouted, 'This isn't Tarzan! This isn't Johnny Weissmuller! He's a goon! Why didn't anyone tell me he's a goon? Turn it off. Goddammit, turn it off.'"
Eventually, the role went to "True Blood" actor Alexander Skarsgård