Meghan Markle is reportedly reaching out to her former "Suits" co-stars for participation in her new podcast project with Lemonada Media. This comes after her previous podcast, "Archetypes," was axed by Spotify. The Duchess of Sussex, who has largely distanced herself from her former colleagues since marrying Prince Harry, now faces the challenge of mending strained relationships and securing their support for her latest venture.
According to sources cited by GB News, Markle’s approach has been met with skepticism and hurt feelings among her old co-stars. “It's all very well for Meghan to expect support when she needs it and obviously she's desperate for this podcast to be a success, but a lot of people think she's got real cheek to be asking for any sort of help from her old co-stars,” an unnamed source commented.
The source elaborated on the perceived disconnect, noting that Markle had previously refused to participate in a recent "Suits" reunion and had shown little interest in maintaining contact with the majority of the cast. “She wouldn't even join their WhatsApp group,” the insider said. “Meghan doesn't ever put 'Suits' down, but she's certainly distanced herself from most of the cast and from the show. It's pretty insulting and the feeling is that she ought to be a lot more loyal to her roots.”
The criticism centers on the perception that Markle has been ungrateful for the role "Suits" played in her career, which ultimately led to her meeting Prince Harry. “For her to now come with cap in hand asking for them to appear on her podcast and help promote her products is pretty tone-deaf, to say the least,” the source continued. “She's going to need to explain herself and do some serious damage control if she's going to have any chance of wooing them back to her side because there are a lot of hurt feelings.”
Earlier this year, a notable absence of Markle and co-star Rick Hoffman was observed during a "Suits" cast reunion at the Golden Globes. Patrick J. Adams, Gina Torres, Sarah Rafferty, and Gabriel Macht reunited to present the Best TV Drama award, but Markle's absence was attributed to a prior commitment. A Golden Globes insider mentioned that Markle had been invited but declined due to scheduling conflicts. Torres also highlighted the disconnection by mentioning their “insane” text thread, which did not include Markle's number.
During the event, Adams and Macht were questioned about the potential return of "Suits" and whether Markle would join them. Adams responded, “She's pretty popular right now,” while Macht's cheeky retort, “Who?” sparked a wave of reactions online. Many viewers found his comment “hilarious” and indicative of a possible rift or differing opinions about Markle's current status.
Markle’s new podcast endeavor with Lemonada Media marks an attempt to reestablish her presence in the media landscape following the termination of "Archetypes." The former actress's efforts to reconnect with her "Suits" co-stars are seen as crucial to the success of her new project. However, overcoming the skepticism and hurt feelings from her perceived distancing will be a significant hurdle.