Directors will ‘absolutely want to meet Meghan’ if she returns to acting

Directors and producers will “absolutely want to meet” Meghan Markle if she wants to return to acting, a leading talent manager has said.

Professor Jonathan Shalit, chairman of InterTalent Rights Group, believes Markle can “do whatever she wants to do” after the news that she and the UK’s Prince Harry are moving back to the UK later this month.

Harry and Meghan are to live in a non-royal residence outside of London, having already enrolled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools, it was disclosed on Wednesday.

Before her relationship with Harry, Meghan was an actress, most notably starring as Rachel Zane in the US legal drama Suits.

Professor Shalit told the Press Association: “If she wants to return to acting, I have absolutely no doubt there would be interest in her.

“Suits has had an extraordinary life beyond its original run. It continues to be discovered and rediscovered through streaming and repeats, so there is already an audience who know Meghan as an actress rather than simply as the Duchess of Sussex.

“Had she not married Harry, I think it is perfectly reasonable to assume that Suits would have been a very strong platform from which to pursue other major television and film roles.

“If Meghan decided tomorrow that she seriously wanted to act again, directors and producers would absolutely want to meet her and audition her.

“Would she automatically be handed every role she wanted? Of course not. Nobody is. But would doors open? Absolutely.”

Professor Shalit added that Meghan’s “enormous name recognition” and “extraordinary international profile” would make her interesting to film producers.

He added: “The question isn’t really whether Hollywood or the British television industry would have Meghan back. The question is whether Meghan wants to act again.

“If she does, I would be very surprised if we didn’t see her back on screen.”

Meghan, who also made guest appearances on shows including CSI: Miami and 90210, retired from acting in 2018 when she married Harry.

Questions have been raised over the Sussexes’ finances as decisions about whether taxpayers will foot the bill for their security remain unanswered, but the duchess will continue to run her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from their new base.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham would not be drawn on Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements in the UK, saying the funding for it was a “private matter”.

World

Meghan ‘taking one for the team’ in Sussexes’ move back to UK – commentator

The duke and duchess stood down from their roles as working members of the royal family in 2020 and moved to Montecito, California.

This was followed by ongoing family fallouts and a barrage of accusations the couple fired at the Prince and Princess of Wales and the King and Queen.

The Sussexes will keep their home in Montecito and another in Portugal after they relocate.