ROBERT DOWNEY JR was perfect for his guest role in ALLY MCBEAL - because no-one else was "good enough" to be the neurotic lawyer's boyfriend.

Series creator DAVID E. KELLEY admits he searched for a actor to play the love role opposite CALISTA FLOCKHART - but he couldn't find a good enough match. But former jailed actor Downey was a new hope for the show.

Kelley admits, "It just smelled like a really good match. We've had a really hard time finding love interests for Ally and one of the reasons for that is that when you see Ally with a guy you just sort of say 'Uh oh, he's not going to make it'. "I think our audience is extremely protective of Ally, so whoever she's dating, he'd better be good enough."

(MB/EW/NFA)

Source: WENN