An offer for Meghan Markle to star in the third season of Guy Ritchie's Netflix series, "The Gentlemen," has reportedly been withdrawn following a negative reaction, according to royal author Tina Brown.
Brown stated on her Substack, "Fresh Hell," that she learned the casting of Markle for the series had been rescinded, citing intense backlash in the United Kingdom as the reason it became "untenable to go forward." She suggested this development does not bode well for Markle's acting comeback in the UK.
Sources close to Markle had previously indicated her potential return to acting was a primary reason for her and Prince Harry's planned relocation to the UK. The couple has reportedly enrolled their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in schools in England and are expected to reside outside of London.
Prior to her marriage to Prince Harry, Markle starred as Rachel Zane in the legal drama "Suits" for seven seasons. She has a small cameo role in the upcoming film "Close Personal Friends," where she reportedly plays herself, which has been described as a "blink-and-you'll-miss-it part."
The possibility of Markle joining "The Gentlemen," a series about an English lord involved in a marijuana growing business, was reportedly being discussed. Sources close to Markle had shared that she was in "advance discussions" for a role. However, the news of Ritchie considering Markle for the series reportedly led to swift negative commentary online.
Social media users expressed concerns about potential ratings drops if Markle were cast, with some stating they would boycott the show. Others cited residual anger over past claims made by Markle regarding the royal family.
In 2022, Markle told Variety that she had no plans to return to acting, stating, "No, I'm done. I guess never say never but my intention is to absolutely not."
A source from Disney studios commented that there was confusion regarding the reports, noting that the series had not yet been renewed for a third season by Netflix and its script was not yet written. The source described Markle as a "polarizing" figure, suggesting that while some might tune in to see her, others would not, which could be detrimental to business.
Markle and Prince Harry have a "first look" deal with Netflix, meaning they present projects to the streamer first. Their 2022 docuseries "Harry & Meghan" was a success for Netflix, but other projects, including Markle's lifestyle show "With Love, Meghan" and Harry's show "Polo," did not achieve similar success. Markle's recent documentary film "Cookie Queens" was also reported as a box office disappointment.
The Disney source added that while there was initial buzz around the couple upon their arrival in Hollywood, their recent projects have not translated into significant success outside of content leveraging their royal connections. The source concluded that Markle's ability to generate headlines had not converted into box office success.