Why Meghan Markle Likely Won't Be in the “Suits” Spinoff
Meghan Markle previously played Rachel Zane on the original Suits series from seasons 1-7
Ian Watson/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty
Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in 'Suits'Suits is being revived with a brand-new spinoff — but will Meghan Markle’s beloved character Rachel Zane make an appearance?
In February 2024, NBCUniversal shared new details about the upcoming series titled Suits L.A. which will be led by Stephen Amell.
Following a brand-new set of characters, the show is set to follow a former federal prosecutor from New York named Ted Black (Amell), who “has reinvented himself representing the most powerful clients in Los Angeles.”
While the series will primarily take place in Los Angeles (as opposed to the original series' New York City setting), it will be set in the same universe as Suits, leaving the door open for potential cameos from the original stars.
Of course, one of the biggest questions on fans’ minds is whether Meghan will reprise her role.
Though NBC hasn’t confirmed whether any stars from the original series will make an appearance on the new series, the odds of the Duchess of Sussex appearing are pretty slim. (NBC hasn’t responded to PEOPLE’s request at the time of publishing.)
Here’s why Meghan Markle will likely not appear on the Suits spinoff, Suits L.A.
Related: Everything Meghan Markle Said About 'Suits': From Her First Audition to Her 2018 Exit
The show will be about brand-new characters
Everett, Michael Kovac/Getty
Unlike the previous Suits spinoff Pearson starring Gina Torres, the new series will revolve around a brand-new set of characters, meaning it’s less likely that the original Suits characters will appear regularly.
Per the show’s official logline, Suits L.A. follows a former federal prosecutor from New York named Ted Black (Amell), who “has reinvented himself representing the most powerful clients in Los Angeles.”
Joining Amell in the cast is The Walking Dead actor Josh McDermitt as Stuart Lane, the co-founder of Black Lane Law, and Lex Scott Davis as Erica Rollins, a savvy and strong-willed rising star who works for Ted Black, per Deadline.
Related: 10 Shows Like ‘Suits’ to Watch After You've Binge-Watched the Series
It’s unclear if the original Suits cast will appear
Robert Ascroft/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Though the series will be set in the same universe as Suits, it’s currently unclear if any of the original stars will reprise their roles — but some have already said they'd be happy to return if asked.
When discussing the upcoming spinoff in January 2024, Patrick J. Adams, who played Meghan’s onscreen husband on the show, noted that he and (his costars) would be happy to return. “If we got the phone call, if I got the phone call, I'm ready to suit up again,” he told ET. “I love the show, I love the character. And I loved working with all these people."
Meghan Markle’s character has already been written off the show
Another reason Meghan would be less likely to return is because her character has already gotten her happy ending. Following the Duchess of Sussex’s real-life engagement to Prince Harry, USA Network announced that she would be leaving the show after season 7.
Her character was written off in the season 7 finale as she married her longtime love Mike (Adams) and the couple moved to Seattle where Mike got a job offer to run a law firm. In the episode, Mike made it clear that they wouldn’t be returning to New York City, saying, "We're not coming back ... Rachel and I were offered a chance to run a firm in Seattle. We decided to go for it."
Meghan Markle has retired from acting
One of the biggest reasons Meghan won’t reprise her role as Rachel Zane? She retired from acting. The season 7 finale of Suits, which aired before her royal wedding to Prince Harry, marked her final acting credit.
“I don’t see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change,” Meghan previously said about her decision to retire from acting. “It’s a new chapter, right? And also, keep in mind, I’ve been working on [Suits] for seven years. We were very, very fortunate to have that sort of longevity on a series ... 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.”
Though Suits marked the end of her acting career, Meghan has gotten back in front of the camera in recent years following her and Prince Harry’s exit from the royal family in January 2020. Since moving to Montecito, California, the couple has teamed up with Netflix for a variety of projects, including their docuseries Harry & Meghan, where they lifted the curtain on royal life behind the scenes.
Additionally, Meghan has worked behind the camera as a producer on various Netflix projects as well as her previous Spotify podcast, Archetypes. She also did voice work in 2020 as she narrated Disney+’s Elephant documentary.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
