02 August 2023 , 15:04
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Marrying Prince Harry saw Meghan Markle catapulted to superstardom - but she had already had a small taste of fame.
The former actress appeared in seven seasons of the hit legal TV drama Suits, where she played sassy paralegal Rachel Zane. The show, set in a New York law firm, enjoyed moderate success between 2011 and 2019 and ran for a further two seasons after Meghan quit her role.
But a whole new audience is discovering the now Duchess of Sussex's previous acting career after Suits was added to Netflix US last month - and broke a streaming record. It racked up 3.14 billion minutes of streaming time during the week of June 26 to July 2 after it debuted on the platform.
Of course, everybody knows what Meghan did after Suits but what became of her co-stars, who were all at Windsor Castle to see her marry Harry in 2018? Here we take a look and examine which ones are still close to their former colleague...
Meghan with her Suits co-stars (TV Grab)Patrick J. Adams - Mike Ross
The one co-star who Meghan shared the most screen time with on Suits was her on-screen husband Patrick J. Adams, who has been vocal in his defence of the duchess since her royal wedding. Mike played genius Mike Ross, who didn't even have a license to practise law but rose up the ranks at Pearson Hardman while enjoying a romance with Meghan's character Rachel.
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Patrick announced he was leaving the show at the same time as his co-star and they departed after their characters got married in season seven. After the show and in the wake of Harry and Meghan's infamous Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, Patrick rushed to defend his former co-star and blasted the royal family as "bankrupt of decency" in a stinging attack.
Meghan with her on-screen husband Mike Ross, played by Patrick J. Adams (© 2015 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.)After defending Meghan as having a "deep sense of morality", he addressed her husband's "toxic" family. Patrick wrote on Twitter: "It’s OBSCENE that the Royal Family, who’s newest member is currently GROWING INSIDE OF HER, is promoting and amplifying accusations of “bullying” against a woman who herself was basically forced to flea the UK in order protect her family and her own mental health.
"IMO, this newest chapter and its timing is just another stunning example of the shamelessness of a institution that has outlived its relevance, is way overdrawn on credibility and is apparently bankrupt of decency." He also came out in defence of Meghan when allegations she had 'bullied' two members of Palace staff emerged - with her lawyers strongly denying the claims.
Praising Meghan, her on-screen hubby said: "From day one she was an enthusiastic, kind, cooperative, giving, joyful and supportive member of our television family. She remained that person and colleague as fame, prestige and power accrued." Patrick is now a dad of two and is married to Pretty Little Liars star Troian Bellisari, who joined him at Meghan's in Windsor in 2018.
Last year he won a Tony Award for his role in the Broadway play Take Me Out, in which he appeared nude. And when asked in an interview whether Meghan would be going to watch him in production, he quipped: "She will certainly get an invitation."
Wendell Pierce - Robert Zane
It may have been King Charles who walked Meghan partly down the aisle on her wedding day, but it was actor Wendell Pierce who did the honours at her on-screen Suits wedding. The accomplished actor, who also starred in The Wire as well as movies Ray and Selman, played her on-screen father Robert Zane.
And in an interview on Good Morning Britain in 2019, he recalled how he warned Meghan her "life would be very different" in their final conversation before she married Harry. He said: "I just remember the last moment I had with her… which I even told her your life is going to be very different, but in those tough times just remember you have a lot of people who care about you. And that you know, protocol, we’re probably not going to be in touch with each other as much as you think but just know you have a friend in me and that there will be a lot of people who care about you."
Wendell Pierce played Robert Zane, Meghan's on-screen father (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)Wendell didn't actually attend Meghan's wedding due to clashes with his work schedule but was "irrationally happy" as he watched from home with strawberries and champagne. However, Wendell appeared to criticise his former co-star in 2021 after her tell-all interview with Oprah, claiming it was "insignificant" in a time the world is in the "throes of death" amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He told radio station LBC: "It was quite insensitive and offensive that we are all complicit in this sort of palace… gossip in the midst of so much death. I think it is insignificant." However, he later clarified his comments and said Meghan would always have a friend in him.
Abigail Spencer - Dana Scott
One co-star that Meghan has remained close to since the show ended is close pal Abigail Spencer, who played hot shot lawyer Dana Scott, who had an on-off relationship with main character Harvey Spector. Meghan and Abigail were said to have met at an audition many years before Suits, where their friendship blossomed.
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Abigail with Meghan at her New York baby shower (Christopher Peterson / SplashNews.com)Abigail was also a guest at Meghan's wedding and was one of her friends that organised her lavish New York baby shower when she was pregnant with Prince Archie. Last year, Abigail was among one of several pals of Harry and Meghan to appear in their controversial Netflix documentary, where she talked about the couple's struggle when they were working royals.
She admitted she had no idea how to help Meghan when she was struggling with her mental health and began tearing up when talking about the ordeal, saying she wasn't allowed to text her friend a photo. Fighting through the tears, she said: "That was a really dark... That was a really dark time. And I didn't know what to do. Like, that's the thing, they are in this complex organism that I don't know anything about or how to help or what to do."
Rick Hoffman - Louis Litt
Bringing the comedy to Suits was actor Rick Hoffman who played the kooky Louis Litt, who loved the law firm like his family and was known for his catchphrase “you just got Litt up”. He appeared close to his Suits co-star Meghan and even once revealed that he was in a relationship that didn’t work out and then didn’t have a date to a wedding in Paris, so the now duchess kindly offered to go with him.
When news of Harry and Meghan's engagement broke, he actually revealed how he had warned her to let Prince Harry “hurt” her and to take their relationship slowly. "I had gotten the news early, and I was like, 'you got to be kidding me,'" he told America Today at the time.
"And it was like, both of us in the trailer like, 'oh, my. You're going - you're dating a prince?'" I was just like, 'well, take it slow. Be careful. Don't let him hurt you.” After Suits, Rick appeared in an episode of the spin-off Pearson, Ballers and Billions.
Sarah Rafferty - Donna Paulsen
One character who appeared in every single season of Suits was Harvey's sassy and all-knowing secretary and close confidante, Donna, played by Sarah Rafferty. She became CEO at Specter Litt in the seventh season then married Harvey by the end of season nine.
Meghan and Sarah became close pals while filming Suits in Toronto and the American actress and her research analyst husband, Santtu Seppälä, were guests at Meghan’s wedding in 2018. After the big day, Sarah confessed she was still “speechless” over the majesty and grandeur of the nuptials.
Suits star Sarah Rafferty and husband Santtu Seppala at Meghan's wedding in 2018 (WireImage)"Still processing. Santtu and I were honored to witness such a sublime and emotional event. We wish the happy couple every blessing with all our hearts,” she gushed. Since the end of Suits, Sarah has not had many roles but did play Suzanna in Grey’s Anatomy but is said to be still close to Meghan and part of her Montecito set.
Gabriel Macht - Harvey Spector
Playing one of the lead characters and the self-proclaimed best closer in town, Harvey Specter, was Gabriel Macht. He has been best friends with Suits co-star Sarah Rafferty for over 28 years and stayed on the show for all nine seasons, as well as one episode of spin-off Pearson. Gabriel attended Meghan and Harry's wedding with wife Jacinda Barrett, an Australian-born actress who shot to fame on MTV's The Real World: London.
After the wedding, Gabriel had an unexpected moment with a member of the late Queen’s staff during the big day, who was a massive fan of his show. He told Harper's Bazaar: "This fellow came up to me, and he said ‘Gabriel, I’m the Queen’s page. I love Harvey, and I love Suits. I just wanted to let you know.’ That was just classic!"
Meghan with her fellow Suits stars (NBCUniversal)Macht also reminisced about watching Elton John play at the wedding reception, adding: "He’s such a legend, up there just singing away and we were right at the end of his grand piano, with all of Prince Harry’s friends gathered around just crying, just so excited to be there. That was moving.”
It's unknown if Gabriel and Meghan are still in touch with each other but several days ago he referenced their time together on Suits while pledging on Instagram to stand in solidarity with the actors union SAG/AFTRA and the writers union WGA, which are both currently on strike.
Gina Torres - Jessica Pearson
Gina Torres played co-founder and managing partner Jessica Pearson for the first six seasons of Suits. She announced she was leaving midway through season six because her contract was up and she had grown tired of travelling between her home in LA and the set in Toronto.
Despite starring in the show together, Gina insisted Meghan told her 'very little' about her secret love with Harry. "We knew she was excited. And there was reason to keep it, you know, close to the vest," she explained in 2018. "You hope, as we all do, the best for her. This is an incredible step in her life. To bear witness to that is extraordinary."
Gina attended the royal wedding but confessed in 2019 that she no longer speaks to Meghan as they had gone on “different trajectories”. “No, I’m not in touch with Meghan. There’s no story in why I’m not in touch with Meghan,” she told Glamour.
Claiming you meet hundreds of people during a career in acting, she added: “If you’re fortunate enough of an actor as I am, that has had a varied career, you can’t bring all those people with you.” Since leaving Suits, Gina has appeared in Westworld, Hannibal and Riverdale as well 9-1-1: Lone Star.