Meghan Markle is making her acting comeback after more than seven years with a small cameo role in the Amazon MGM Studios comedy 'Close Personal Friends.' The film stars Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid, and Henry Golding, and is currently shooting around Los Angeles. This marks her first on-screen acting role since leaving 'Suits' in 2017.
Film Overview
'Close Personal Friends' is a comedy directed by Jason Orley from a screenplay by Isaac Aptaker, based on a story they collaborated on. Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger are producing the film, following their previous work on Amazon MGM's rom-com 'I Want You Back.' The story follows a regular couple who meet a celebrity couple during a trip to Santa Barbara, leading to an unlikely friendship where boundaries blur and situations turn awkward.
The ensemble cast includes Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid, Henry Golding, Melissa Villaseñor, Natasia Demetriou, Anna Konkle, Patti Harrison, Jack Shalloo, and Dustin Demri-Burns. Meghan Markle appears in a small cameo, reportedly playing herself, as confirmed by multiple outlets after she was spotted on set in Pasadena.
Markle's Acting Background
Markle starred as Rachel Zane on USA Network's 'Suits' for seven seasons, departing in November 2017. She also appeared in films such as 'Horrible Bosses' and 'Remember Me' prior to her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018. Reflecting on leaving 'Suits,' Markle told Page Six at the time: "It’s a new chapter, right? I’ve ticked this box, and I feel very proud of the work I’ve done there, and now it’s time to work with [Harry] as a team."
In 2020, she and Harry stepped back from royal duties, splitting time between Santa Barbara and the U.K. While she has not acted on screen since, Markle executive produced Netflix projects through Archewell Productions, including the docuseries 'Polo' and 'Live to Lead,' as well as her lifestyle show 'With Love, Meghan,' whose second season aired over the summer. Archewell extended its first-look deal with Netflix in August.
Amazon MGM Studios declined to comment on Markle's involvement. 'Suits' creator Aaron Korsh mentioned in a 2019 Deadline interview considering a cameo for her in the show's final season but ultimately decided against it to respect her new life: "I thought about asking... and in the end I didn’t ask, and I just thought, ‘I’m going to respect her new life and not put her in the position of having to ask.’"