These days, everybody knows Meghan Markle as the wife of Prince Harry and daughter-in-law of the United Kingdom’s new monarch, King Charles III. But years ago, the Duchess of Sussex was a popular actor in America thanks to her breakthrough role as Rachel Zane in the hit legal drama “Suits.” She starred in the series from its inception in 2011 to the end of Season 7 in 2018, when she exited the show to focus on her royal duties, per The New York Times. Apart from “Suits”, Meghan also flexed her acting chops in shows such as “CSI,” “The League,” and “Knight Rider,” and was seen in films like “Get Him to the Greek” and “Remember Me” in 2010, according to IMDb.
When Meghan and Prince Harry shockingly announced their decision to step back as senior royals in early 2020, there was buzz surrounding Meghan’s possible return to acting, especially after the royal pair signed a million-dollar deal with Netflix to produce feature films, documentaries, and scripted shows for the streaming giant, per Entertainment Tonight. However, the duchess remains largely absent from the Hollywood limelight, choosing instead to focus on her marriage, motherhood, and many ventures, including her charity.
Will Meghan ever return to acting? Of course, as a non-working royal, there is always that possibility. But there’s quite a slim chance that would happen as long as she’s married to Prince Harry — at least according to award-winning actor Kevin Costner.
Kevin Costner’s on ‘Prince Harry’s side’
As it turns out, Kevin Costner’s among the countless Hollywood stars who have shared their opinion of Meghan Markle along with Jodie Turner-Smith, Daniel Radcliffe, and Katy Perry. While appearing on the British television program “Lorraine” in 2019, the actor shared his thoughts on Meghan and whether or not he thinks the Duchess of Sussex would ever go back to acting. “It would be hard. Why? Because if you’re Harry … it’s like, that’s why I’m not married to an actress. I don’t want to see my wife kissing somebody,” said Costner, adding that he’s certainly Team Harry there.
The Oscar-winner went on to note the attention Meghan has gotten from the general public ever since she became part of the royal family in 2018. “There’s so much thought that goes into, number 1, being a wife, and then being in this circle that I don’t even understand, you know, royalty. It’s a unique spot,” Costner said. “We watch it from across an ocean and sometimes we don’t understand what’s going on.” He added, “She’s had enough attention for a lifetime now in a year.”
Notably, in the same interview, Costner also dished on the longtime rumors that Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was supposed to star in a sequel to his hit film “The Bodyguard.” “Yes, there [were talks],” he confirmed, adding that Sarah Ferguson was instrumental in getting the Princess of Wales onboard. Previously, Costner revealed to People that he received the script for the sequel in August 1997, the day before Princess Diana was killed in a tragic car accident in Paris.
Meghan Markle doesn’t regret giving up acting
When Meghan Markle left “Suits” and subsequently retired from acting in 2018, the Duchess of Sussex said she didn’t regret giving up her acting career to step into her new role as a royal. “I don’t see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change,” she said (via E! News). “It’s a new chapter, right?” She also noted how long she worked on “Suits.” “We were very, very fortunate to have that sort of longevity on a series,” she said. “I’ve ticked this and I feel very proud of the work I’ve done there. And now it’s time to work with [Prince Harry] as a team.”
In fact, Meghan was more excited than sad to end her acting career as she could finally devote more time and energy to causes that were close(r) to her heart. She said she was particularly thrilled about the idea of collaborating with different communities and organizations in the UK that are “working on the same causes I’ve always been passionate about” (via Harper’s Bazaar). “You realize that as you have access, or a voice that people are willing to listen to, [it comes with] a lot of responsibility, which I take seriously,” she added.
Only time will tell if Meghan will go back to acting at this point, but in the meantime, fans of the duchess can follow her recently launched podcast “Archetypes with Meghan,” where she offers a rare insight into her personal life and chats with strong female personalities, such as Serena Williams and Mariah Carey. The show is available exclusively on Spotify.