Meghan Markle is recalling how difficult things were for her on Deal Or No Deal. The tea…
Of course, the now-former actor appeared on the show early in her career, from 2006 to 2007, as a briefcase model. Her acting trajectory soared in the years after that with a long run as a regular on USA Network‘s show Suits beginning in 2011. Then she walked away from the series — and the industry altogether — after meeting Prince Harry and marrying him in 2018.
But her fairy tale ending had a not-so-glamorous beginning! And now, the 41-year-old mom of two is recounting what she went through years ago on the famous game show.
Related: Harry And Meghan ‘Contradicted’ Themselves In Netflix Docuseries & Memoir?!
Speaking on a new episode of her podcast Archetypes this week, Meghan got real with this week’s guest, Paris Hilton, as the pair were uniquely primed to talk about people’s misconceptions of their lives and careers.
As for the Duchess of Sussex, she told Paris how she was “really grateful” to have the job when she first started. Knowing she was using the role to pay her bills and support herself, Meghan kept at it. But after a while on set, she grew tired of seeing how “little substance” there was in her work as a briefcase presenter.
She said:
“I was grateful for the job, but not about how it made me feel, which was not smart. By the way I was surrounded by smart women … but that wasn’t the focus.”
Part of the issue for Meghan was her own background. As she explained to the Simple Life alum, she was coming off a time having studied international relations in college. But those interests in global politics and diplomacy didn’t mesh with modeling a briefcase on a TV game show. So, she walked away from the gig after determining it didn’t align with her values.
Prince Harry‘s wife explained that, dropping the money-quote “bimbo” comment in the chat:
“I ended up quitting the show. I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage. I didn’t like feeling forced to be all looks and little substance, and that’s how it felt for me at the time being reduced to this specific archetype: the word ‘bimbo.'”
Meghan mused about some of the behind-the-scenes specifics of the job, as well.
For one, she blanched at how the models would “line up” eagerly for lashes, hair extensions, padded bras, spray tans, and other beauty giveaways from producers. Show runners, Meghan said, had a “cookie-cutter idea” of how the girls should look, and it filtered down to the models, too. The former royal recalled how one producer would always keep demanding she “suck it in” while working on set.
Markle explained:
“It was solely about beauty and not necessarily about brains.”
Thankfully for Meghan, her time on that show was short-lived. And as you may recall, her work there was not particularly memorable, either. Prior to her wedding to Harry in 2018, Deal Or No Deal host Howie Mandel admitted he actually didn’t remember her on the show! So… yeah!
Related: Meghan Was ‘Conditioned’ Not To Show Emotion After Being Called ‘Crazy’ So Many Times!
Anyway, Meghan is looking ahead now. She is hopeful that her daughter, Lilibet Diana, will be raised to aspire to more than just modeling gigs and superficial fulfillment:
“I want our daughter to aspire to be slightly higher. Yeah, I want my Lili to want to be educated and want to be smart and to pride herself on those things.”
That’s a positive message we can all get behind! What do U think of Meghan’s Deal Or No Deal reveal, Perezcious readers? Sound OFF with your take down in the comments (below)…
[Image via New York Times/YouTube/Game Show Network/YouTube]
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