Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, experienced a challenging climb to the top in Hollywood before landing her career-changing role in the hit legal drama Suits, according to royal commentator Michael Cole. Speaking on GB News, Cole suggested that Meghan's struggles in the entertainment industry may have contributed to the bullying allegations she faced during her time as a working royal.
Prior to her breakout role as Rachel Zane in Suits, Meghan had worked as a briefcase model on Deal or No Deal and had a small cameo in the US soap General Hospital. It took a decade for her acting career to truly take off, and Cole believes that her journey to the top would have been far from easy.
"That is absolutely accentuated in Hollywood where people are given orders, particularly if you're the sixth person on the call sheet in a show called Suits," Cole explained. "There's none of the civility, none of the politeness, none of the things that we take for granted in this country or certainly used to. When you have to struggle to the top in Hollywood, you can bet your life you've had to tread on a few fingers on the way there."
Cole attributes the stark contrast between British and American cultures as a potential factor in the bullying allegations against Meghan. He noted that in the UK, people tend to be overly polite, using phrases like "may I have" or "could I possibly have" when making requests, while in America, the language is more direct, such as "can I get a cheeseburger?"
"It's so very different," Cole said, suggesting that this cultural difference, combined with the cutthroat nature of Hollywood, may have led to a "lack of understanding" and the perception of Meghan's behavior as bullying.
Meghan stepped down from her role in Suits in 2017 after getting engaged to Prince Harry, focusing on her duties as a member of the Royal Family. However, the couple made the decision to leave the Royal Family in 2020 and signed an exclusive five-year deal with Netflix.
Since then, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have worked on several projects for the streaming giant, including their revealing six-part docuseries Harry & Meghan and the documentary Heart of Invictus. It has now been announced that the couple will create two brand new shows, one focusing on lifestyle and the other on polo.
Harry's polo show will provide "unprecedented access to the world of professional polo," while Meghan's series will tie in with her new business, American Riviera Orchard, and "celebrate the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship."
