Meghan Markle Faces Backlash as Reported Talks Over The Gentlemen Role Take New Turn

Meghan Markle’s rumoured return to acting has taken another twist, with new claims suggesting she is no longer being considered for a possible role in Netflix series The Gentlemen.

The Duchess of Sussex had reportedly entered early-stage discussions about appearing in a potential third season of Guy Ritchie’s hit show, according to Deadline. The possibility attracted particular attention because it emerged as Meghan and Prince Harry prepare for their reported return to Britain, six years after leaving the UK for the United States.

However, The Gentlemen, which stars Theo James and Kaya Scodelario, has not yet been renewed for a third season. Now, separate reports have claimed the possibility of Meghan joining the series has been dropped following backlash in the UK.

The development has prompted criticism online, with some social media users questioning whether the original speculation was little more than a publicity exercise.

Social media users question the original casting reports

One X user pointed to reports that Meghan had been dropped from consideration and argued that neither Meghan nor Netflix had previously denied the possibility of her involvement.

The commenter suggested the speculation may have generated publicity for The Gentlemen, adding that Meghan had ultimately emerged from the situation looking “rather humiliated.”

Another was sceptical that an acting comeback in Britain had ever been seriously planned, writing: “The whole thing is a joke. Meghan never said she was going to act in the UK. That’s crazy.”

A third person noted that, regardless of what happened behind the scenes, the reports had succeeded in drawing additional attention to the series.

“This whole episode brought that series to the public attention,” they wrote.

Some critics brand the speculation a ‘PR stunt’

Other reactions were considerably harsher.

One commenter claimed they had suspected from the beginning that the story was a “PR stunt” and launched a personal attack on Meghan, arguing that hiring her would negatively affect a production.

Another critic suggested Meghan had enjoyed the attention generated by the casting speculation without anticipating the backlash that could follow.

The online comments represent the opinions of individual social media users rather than confirmation of what happened during any discussions involving Meghan, Netflix or the show’s producers.

Meghan’s acting comeback remains uncertain

The reports surrounding The Gentlemen had fuelled speculation that Meghan could be preparing for a more substantial return to acting as she and Harry reportedly establish a base in Britain.

Before marrying Prince Harry, Meghan was best known for playing Rachel Zane in the US legal drama Suits. She stepped away from acting before becoming a working member of the Royal Family.

For now, however, the reported Gentlemen opportunity remains just that: a reported possibility. The discussions were described as being at an early stage, the series itself has yet to receive a third-season renewal, and there has been no confirmation that Meghan had formally signed on for a role.

With conflicting claims now surrounding the potential casting, exactly how close Meghan ever came to joining Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series remains unclear.