This handsome, strapping, blond actor followed in the footsteps of his father, Stephen Macht, and pursued a career in acting. Born in the Bronx and raised in Westchester County, New York, Gabriel Macht settled in Los Angeles in the late 1970s when his dad's career began an upswing. He made his film debut as a youngster in the Treat Williams' vehicle "Why Would I Lie?" (1980) but then "retired" from performing until he had graduated high school. Macht renewed his career aspirations with a supporting role in the 1991 NBC movie "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" and then headed off to hone his craft at Pittsburgh's Carnegie-Mellon University. After graduating, the actor's career picked up steam when he was cast in the period Western "Follow the River" (ABC, 1995) and as "The Visitor" from the future in Steve Martin's acclaimed Off-Broadway play "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" (also 1995). Supporting roles in such films as "The Object of My Affection" (1998), "The Adventures of Sebastian Cole" and "Simply Irresistible" (both 1999) followed.

Adding to his acting resume, Macht moved into producing with the indie film "Not for Nothin'" (1999, in which he co-starred) and "The Bookie's Lament" (lensed 1999, in which he had a leading role). As the new millennium dawned, his profile rose higher, first with the regular role of the empathetic medical intern in the supernatural series "The Others" (NBC, 2000) and then as actor William Holden opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in the ABC biopic "The Audrey Hepburn Story" (also 2000). Macht's big screen breakthrough came when he was cast as the well-read and calm Frank James to Colin Farrell's more volatile Jesse James in the revisionist "American Outlaws" (2001). While many critics dismissed the film's anachronistic screenplay, they could not overlook Macht's charismatic screen presence. The rising star next joined Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson in the war drama "Behind Enemy Lines" (2001) before landing a supporting role in "Bad Company" (2002), featuring Chris Rock and Sir Anthony Hopkins.