Meghan Markle’s Suits co-star claims royal Netflix deal was behind show's boost

01 February 2024 , 11:35

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Meghan and Abigail were co-stars during season one of Suits

Meghan Markle’s former Suits co-star has claimed the royal couple’s huge Netflix deal helped to boost the show’s popularity.

The Duchess of Sussex made her debut as attorney Rachel Zane on the legal drama series back in 2011, but she was forced to leave the popular show when she got engaged to Prince Harry in 2017. The couple tied the knot in 2018, but eventually stepped down as senior working members of the Royal Family in 2020, and relocated to the US, signing an £80 million deal with the streaming giant that same year.

Last year, the show enjoyed a huge boost in popularity and was the most watched show across all streaming networks - four years after the finale aired - with viewers watching for a staggering 57.7 billion total minutes. However, one of Meghan’s former Suits co-stars, Abigail Spencer, believes Netflix helped boost the show’s exposure on the homepage of the streaming site because of their mega-deal with the Sussexes.

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She played Rachel Zane on the show until 2017 (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

“You know, Netflix repositioned it, so I think there is something to positioning on Netflix and when other things aren’t being made, it commands your attention, but it has to be great for people to watch it,” she explained on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show, adding that the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strike kast year made it difficult for audiences to watch new shows. “There wasn't anything else," the actress, who played Dana Scott in the first season of Suits.

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Abigail also claimed it was Meghan’s “loveliness” that has helped the show attract more fans as it enjoys another stab at success. “I think there’s several different things. And also Meghan’s loveliness, you know, that everyone is aware of her and her being on the show.” Suits ended two years after Meghan left, with her character relocating to Seattle to start a new law firm. At the time, she told BBC about leaving the show: "I don't see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change. It's a new chapter, right?”

Abigail claimed Meghan's 'loveliness' was one of the reasons the show was a hit last year (The Hollywood Reporter via Getty)

Meghan left Suits ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry (Getty Images)

In November last year, Meghan was asked about the show’s resurgence in popularity, and said it was a “really fun time” working on the legal drama alongside co-stars also starred Patrick J. Adams, Gabriel Macht, Sarah Rafferty and Rick Hoffman. “It’s hard to find a show you can binge-watch that many episodes of these days, so that could have something to do with it. But good shows are everlasting,” she told Variety.

The show’s popularity last year has helped to expand the Suits universe, as a Los Angeles-based spin-off is now in the works, with showrunner Aaron Korsh at the helm. Patrick J. Adams spoke about the upcoming show while walking the red carpet at the Golden Globes last month, and said he was ready to reprise his character at any moment. “And if we got the phone call, if I got the phone call, I’m ready to suit up again. I love the show, I love the character. And I loved working with all these people,” he shared.

Emma Wilson