Meghan Markle’s reported talks to join Netflix’s The Gentlemen may have been strategically leaked to bolster her acting profile, according to a report.
Industry insiders reportedly believe Meghan Markle’s preliminary talks with director Guy Ritchie for The Gentlemen were leaked to boost her acting profile and portray her as a sought-after performer.
Deadline first reported last Friday that Meghan was in early talks to join the third season of Netflix’s gangster drama, starring Theo James and Kaya Scodelario.
Royal author Tina Brown stated on Saturday that the casting had already been pulled.
"I learned that the casting of Meghan Markle has been withdrawn. The backlash was so intense it became untenable to go forward," she wrote on Substack, adding: "This does not bode well for Meghan's acting comeback."
A Disney Studios source also shared, "Every so often people around [Hollywood] get calls about whether there are any gigs for Meghan but she's a polarising choice," the source said.
The insider mentioned, "She's not someone I would want in one of my shows because you're alienating a large part of your audience before you shoot a single frame."
The Duchess is said to be setting her sights on the West End, with sources claiming she is looking to secure a significant role.
Meghan was best known for portraying lawyer Rachel Zane across seven seasons of the US legal drama Suits before her engagement to Prince Harry.
She left the show in 2018 and has not taken on an acting role since.
Her earlier credits included parts in CSI: Miami, Fringe, and films such as Horrible Bosses and Get Him to the Green.
In 2022, Meghan told Variety she had no plans to return to acting.
The Sussexes are now relocating outside London and have enrolled Archie and Lilibet in British schools, without publicly explaining the move.
