A Netflix executive has offered an enigmatic response to the rumor that Meghan Markle might return to acting in the Guy Ritchie series The Gentlemen. It was claimed earlier this month that the Duchess of Sussex, 45, was considering a return to acting in the Netflix gangster show. However, last weekend former Vanity Fair and New York Magazine editor-in-chief Tina Brown reported that the offer to cast Meghan in the drama had been “withdrawn” due to waves of backlash in the U.K.
During an appearance at the Edinburgh TV Festival this week, Netflix’s Director of Scripted Series for the U.K., Manda Levin, was asked whether there was any truth to the reports. According to Variety, Meghan was in discussions to join the third installment of the series, starring Theo James and Kaya Scodelario, which films in the U.K. The show is a spin-off of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 crime comedy movie of the same name, which starred Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam and Colin Farrell.
The third season of the show has not been officially greenlit. Season two premieres September 3. The Independent’s Louis Chilton questioned whether the show would be the right fit for Meghan, writing in an opinion piece: “Surely there are filmmakers out there who would cast the duchess in something provocative, something challenging; surely someone can look at Meghan, and all the fascinating extratextual baggage that comes with her celebrity, and conjure up a meaty role around it.” The duke and duchess revealed earlier this month that they would be moving from California back to the U.K. with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who are both enrolled in British schools, six years after they came to the U.S.
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
It would be Meghan’s first acting role since she quit performing in 2017, when she got engaged to Prince Harry. However, she recently appeared on screen in a cameo as herself in the upcoming Amazon MGM comedy Close Personal Friends, which stars Lily Collins and Brie Larson. It marked Meghan’s first performance in nearly a decade after she rose to fame for her role as Rachel Zane in seven seasons of the legal drama Suits.
She also appeared in films including Horrible Bosses, A Lot Like Love and Random Encounters. Powerful leaders in the entertainment industry have spoken out to say that directors and producers will undoubtedly be eager to meet with Meghan if she has does ultimately decide to resume her acting career. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Extract — continue reading at the source.
