Meghan Markle returns to acting after an eight-year break, with a cameo as herself in the Amazon MGM Studios comedy Close Personal Friends and a reportedly more substantial UK project in the works.
Variety first reported the cameo. The film, directed by Jason Orley, stars Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding, and follows a regular couple who befriend a celebrity pair on a trip to Santa Barbara — close to where Markle and Prince Harry live in Montecito.
Meghan Markle returns to acting: what we know
The Sun, quoting an unnamed source, called the part a “massive moment” that “signifies a return to doing what she truly loves”.
“She has been swamped with offers but this one felt right. It’s Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set.”
The Sun, quoting a source familiar with the matter
People reports Markle has already filmed her scene. “She has a small part. She seemed very relaxed and happy,” a source told the outlet. Everyone involved, per The Sun, has been sworn to secrecy — a pledge that lasted roughly two news cycles.
A reportedly bigger UK role
News.com.au was first to report that Markle has been offered a role in an upcoming UK-based project, said to be her most significant since Suits. Royal correspondent Bronte Coy told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
“I’m told it’s significant, and she’s very excited about it.”
Bronte Coy, News.com.au royal correspondent, on BBC Radio 4’s Today
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment but did not deny the project. The reports follow news that the couple will return to the UK later this month with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who are enrolled at a British school from September.
Markle’s last acting role was paralegal Rachel Zane in Suits, which she left in 2017 after appearing in seven of its nine seasons. She has since built a media career of a different kind: a Netflix deal reportedly worth more than $100m that has so far produced two seasons of With Love, Meghan, and, last month, a multi-year first-look deal for Archewell Productions with the streamer, per The Independent.
Why is Meghan Markle returning to acting?
Reports say she was “swamped with offers” and chose a cameo to gently put her toe back in the water, per a source quoted by The Sun. A separate report says she has been offered a role in an upcoming UK-based project.
What is Close Personal Friends?
An Amazon MGM Studios comedy directed by Jason Orley, starring Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding, about a regular couple who befriend a celebrity pair in Santa Barbara. Meghan Markle appears as herself.
Has Meghan Markle confirmed the acting return?
No. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment but did not deny the projects.
