Netflix Denies Using Meghan Markle for 'The Gentlemen' Publicity

Sources close to the production of Netflix's "The Gentlemen" have refuted claims that the streaming service used Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, to promote the crime drama's second season. These assertions emerged earlier this week, suggesting that Netflix revealed potential involvement from Markle to enhance the show's viewership.

However, individuals connected to "The Gentlemen" production team have rejected these allegations. "This is not a show in need of stunt casting," a show insider told The Times. The second season of the series, starring Theo James and Kaya Scodelario, premiered last month.

In August, entertainment news outlet Deadline reported that Markle was in preliminary discussions for a potential role in the third season of the Netflix crime drama. This news surfaced shortly after reports that Markle and Prince Harry were planning to return to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Less than a day after news of the talks became public, they were reportedly abandoned due to significant viewer backlash.

Tina Brown, former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, wrote on Substack in August that she had learned the casting of Meghan Markle in "The Gentlemen" season 3 had been withdrawn due to intense backlash in the UK, making it "untenable to go forward."

Months later, friends of the Duchess claimed she was "used to help promote" the second season of "The Gentlemen." One source told The Telegraph that Netflix employed this strategy because they felt the second season was not as strong as the first and a third had already been commissioned. "It's the oldest marketing trick in the book: get a big name to read a script, then leak that you're 'in conversation' with them when, in reality, nothing is particularly far along," the source stated, adding that the situation had created a "sour taste" in the Sussexes' mouths and that Netflix ultimately achieved its goal of generating publicity and higher viewing figures.

Official ratings indicate that viewership for the first season of "The Gentlemen" was approximately 3.5 million, while the debut of the second season was streamed by around three million viewers in its first week. The extent of Meghan Markle's actual consideration for a role has also been questioned. According to The Sun, Guy Ritchie, the director and creator, reportedly responded with surprise when Markle's name was initially mentioned, questioning her realistic chances of appearing in the series with a resounding "Not a chance."

Markle previously starred as Rachel Zane for seven seasons in the popular US legal drama "Suits." Following her marriage to Prince Harry and her departure from the Royal Family, she paused her acting career. In 2022, she told Variety magazine that she had no plans to return to acting, though she recently made a cameo appearance as herself in the upcoming film "Close Personal Friends" alongside Lily Collins and Brie Larson. She also served as a guest judge on "MasterChef Australia" earlier this year.

The departure of Bela Bajaria from Netflix could also impact the relationship between the streaming giant and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Markle had a five-year deal with Netflix, signed in 2020, which reportedly lapsed last year after her lifestyle show, "With Love, Meghan," received mixed reviews and failed to make the top ten in the UK or US charts. A Netflix consultant familiar with Bajaria's work told The Times that her departure leaves uncertainty for the couple's future projects, as she was a strong advocate for them within the company.

Another source noted that Markle is cautious about reading scripts for acting opportunities due to the intense public interest her involvement would generate, potentially leading to significant financial gain for studios.