Meghan Markle’s shocking return to acting just proves that she is now in “fully fledged celebrity mode,” a brand expert has claimed. The Duchess of Sussex sent shockwaves around the world last week, hours before Prince William’s major speech at the Earthshot Prize Awards in Brazil, when it emerged that she is finally making a comeback to acting after she was spotted filming a new movie in Los Angeles.
Prince Harry’s wife was snapped filming Close Personal Friends at Amazon MGM Studios in Pasadena, in what is her first time back on set after eight years. The film features a star-studded cast, including Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid [son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid], and Henry Golding.
According to sources, the Duchess will have only a small cameo in the film, which is about two couples—one famous and one not—who meet in Santa Barbara and become fast friends.
But a brand and culture expert said that Meghan’s cameo has a deeper meaning.
Nick Ede told Newsweek: “Meghan is now in fully fledged celebrity mode. You know, she’s off at the Kardashians. She’s at Kris Jenner’s birthday. She’s doing Paris Fashion Week.
“So I think this is in many ways a bit of a next step for her to just see whether there’s a bit of appetite for her to be back acting.”
Meanwhile, royal commentator Afua Hagan claimed the duchess is returning to her “comfort zone, her wheelhouse”.
Ms Hagan said that Meghan could still be testing the waters for something bigger in the future.
She told the outlet: “She’s dipping her toe in to see how she feels about being back on set, see what the reaction’s like. But she has a portfolio career, right? So I think this is just part of it, something fun to do. I think it’s a ‘let’s see how it pans out’ kind of energy.”
Mr Ede agreed and added: “This is a kind of good litmus test to see what the outcome is,” Ede said. “Obviously, she knows that anything that she does will get column inches.
“And if you’re a movie or if you’re a studio, that’s something that you really want.
“I don’t think it will be just a one-off. I suspect this is just a way of dipping her toes back in to see what the reaction will be.”
