Meghan Markle’s recent “Suits” Netflix reigniting buzz has thrown out some intriguing ripples in her post-royal life. The actress surprised viewers (and many industry insiders) by sharing at a Toronto Film Awards premiere this fall, that even she didn’t anticipate the enduring success her TV drama was seeing online with a new audience. Apparently, even someone who embodied successful Rachel Zane for seven seasons could be taken aback by streaming analytics! Of course public statements about being “shocked” always invite curiosity; Meghan’s revelation does beg a deeper question about “Suits” that extends beyond simple numbers on a screen. Could the show serve as a cultural touchstone in ways no expected for years?
Think about it – Markle’s real life legal training combined with fictional courtroom dramas, and audiences got something powerful : an aspirational image. Rachel Zane wasn’t just beautiful or charming (though certainly capable); she was smart, relentless in navigating that cutthroat world of lawyers. Even though that’s a very specific “high-paying, high-stakes” slice of adulthood portrayed perfectly, there are real life echoes in how people are craving content reflecting ambition and achieving their goals.
Markle briefly teasing “lots of exciting things going forward,” leaves an air of mystique about what we’ve seen so far being just the beginning? Perhaps she’s seeing past the binge-rewatching audience, onto something more interactive — maybe even directly related to her legal background in film advocacy now (something that aligns well with her new humanitarian work). After all, “Suits” wasn’t solely successful because it was clever courtroom drama. It touched on workplace culture, relationship struggles… themes that aren’t time-locked and can speak profoundly to where our collective interest is.
Meghan may find herself more of a “cultural figure,” less as a celebrity with titles she didn’t claim permanently. But there lies the true opportunity: Using these platform shifts, combined with her very authentic personal story (no matter how media scrutiny magnifies it), and making her mark that feels authentic. And hey, even “me” on screen could probably learn a bit from a character who took New York law firm by storm!