Meghan Markle has finally responded through her inner circle after facing a high-profile Hollywood snub from director Guy Ritchie's hit crime drama, The Gentlemen. Just days after reports revealed that the Duchess of Sussex is officially out of the running to join the show's upcoming third season, friends close to the former Suits star are pushing back and accusing streaming executives of using her famous name for free publicity.
Speculation first exploded in August around the time Meghan and Prince Harry returned to Britain, with rumours claiming the 45-year-old Duchess was in advanced talks to make a dramatic acting comeback on the Netflix series. However, those hopes were abruptly dashed this week when insiders told The Sun that 58-year-old filmmaker Guy Ritchie had completely ruled out casting her, reportedly reacting to the chatter by saying, "Really? Not a chance."
Now, pals close to the Sussexes are telling their side of the story, claiming that negotiations were never as far along as the headlines suggested. Speaking with The Telegraph, a source close to the Duchess argued that leaking premature talks to the press is the oldest marketing trick in the book—getting a massive global celebrity to simply look at a script and then whispering that they are "in conversation" to generate buzz.
According to the insider, the entire saga has left a bit of a sour taste in the Sussex camp's mouth. Friends of the Duchess point out that while the casting talks ultimately went nowhere, Netflix walked away with exactly what it wanted: a wave of global headlines and huge viewing figures for the launch of the show's second season.
While Meghan is no longer in contention after an initial meeting failed to lead to a deal, production for the third installment is moving forward with British stars Robert Carlyle and Maya Jama. Sources noted that leading man Theo James personally championed bringing industry icon Carlyle onto the set, leaving the Duchess of Sussex to look elsewhere as she carefully weighs her next entertainment move on British soil.
- Meghan Markle's inner circle has finally spoken out after reports revealed she was ruled out of joining Guy Ritchie's hit series, The Gentlemen.
- Friends of the Duchess accuse Netflix of using her name as an old-school marketing trick to drum up massive publicity for the show's second season.
- Insiders admit the premature casting leaks left "a bit of a sour taste in the Sussex camp's mouth."
- Director Guy Ritchie reportedly shut down the casting rumors with a blunt four-word response: "Really? Not a chance."
