Meghan Markle may not be beloved in the royal family, but she’s determined to be the “Queen of Hollywood.”
After signing a massive deal with the agency WME for representation last week, sources are now opening up about the Suits alum’s intentions moving forward in the industry. Speaking to Page Six on Monday, insiders revealed the 41-year-old will make millions from the new partnership, which has been in the works for the past few months.
One source familiar with the deal insisted this will make Meghan a force to be reckoned with — without Prince Harry by her side. A highly placed Hollywood confidant dished:
“This deal is about making Meghan a power player in Hollywood. Even though she is, of course, an actress, this isn’t about movies or shows for Meghan to star in, it is about creating projects for her to produce — she wants to run the show.”
Makes sense that she’d prefer to be behind the camera! When the deal was initially announced last week, sources said the former Deal or No Deal briefcase girl would not be pursuing acting at this time, though the representation does cover “all areas” of the entertainment industry.
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Another reason the mother of two is eager to step out on her own and jump headfirst into business is so the family can keep up with their financial demands. Per an insider, the couple’s estate in Montecito cost them $14.5 million and their private security expenses are currently about $2 million a year. An insider who knows the pair said:
“They need to find a way to make money — this is business.”
A second source suggested their non-profit, Archewell, which was included in the deal, will also benefit from this:
“Through the fact that Archewell (her company with Prince Harry) is now repped by WME it bolsters Harry and Meghan’s bid to become power players in the production arena.”
One goal will be to grow “brand recognition” globally. Harry and Meghan already have a five-year deal with Netflix, estimated to be worth around $100 million, per Forbes. Not to mention their rumored $15 million deal with Spotify, which spawned Meg’s Archetypes podcast. It’s expected to return for a second season.
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Another insider said the Duchess of Sussex isn’t trying to move out of her hubby’s shadow with this new endeavor, but she does want to get past all the royal drama, especially as the last few months have been centered around whether or not she’ll attend King Charles III’s coronation (she won’t). Her estranged family also continues to speak out in explosive television interviews, revealing secrets about her childhood and calling her out for their fractured relationships. Don’t expect her to use her upcoming projects to clap back:
“As Meghan has herself said, she’s moved on, she’s living in the present and she’s going to explore her life with the freedoms that her new life affords her.”
So, what’s her top priority? WME will begin by being “more solely focused” on her business ventures, the source shared:
“She has a lot of business ideas, she considers herself an entrepreneur, and now there’s a machine behind her to support those ideas.”
Insiders are now comparing her to Michelle Obama, who has worked with CAA and written books, hosted speaking tours, and even produced a children’s show! Similarly, agents will work on projects like scripted TV shows for Markle to produce, as well as new endorsements. A confidant insisted:
“She founded (former blog) The Tig, and she’s a co-founder of Archewell, so she’s clearly able to do that.”
As we reported, Meghan will be working with WME CEO Ari Emanuel, who is one of Tinseltown’s most powerful agents. He was also parodied in Entourage as the character Ari Gold. Her day-to-day team will include Serena Williams‘ longtime agent, Jill Smoller, who has known Meghan for years now and even appeared in Harry & Meghan, as well as Dwayne Johnson‘s rep Brad Slater. They are also still working with Markle’s longtime attorney, Rick Genow, and business manager, Andrew Meyer. Once again, an industry professional urged:
“This is definitely not a move back into acting. Meghan is exceptionally ambitious. The deal is for her for film and TV production, brand partnerships and endorsements. Both Meghan and Harry have said they want purpose-focused deals for their charities, but she is looking for big Hollywood projects.”
Last year while speaking to Variety, Meghan hinted at what kinds of projects she might like to tackle in the future — and while she’s definitely focused on impactful stories, she’d also like to have a little fun, too! She mused:
“So much of how my husband and I see things is through our love story. For scripted, we want to think about how we can evolve from that same space and do something fun. It doesn’t always have to be so serious. Like a good rom-com. Don’t we miss them? I miss them so much.”
Hmmm. Seems like we could be getting any number of projects from the Sussexes! We just wonder how popular their content will be without mention of their beef with the royal family? What do YOU think? Sound OFF (below)!
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