Meghan Markle eyes Hollywood return with help of top dealmaker, says PR expert

Before Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex, she was Rachel Zane—a character she played across seven seasons of the legal drama Suits, a role that made her a recognizable face on television and built her a devoted following. Now, according to PR experts and entertainment insiders, she may be preparing to return to acting, this time with the backing of one of Hollywood's most connected operators.

The reported hire is Adam Lilling, a dealmaker known in industry circles as a "fixer"—someone who navigates the complex machinery of entertainment deals and connects talent with opportunity. Lilling has worked with major names including Ellen DeGeneres and Nicole Kidman, lending him credibility as someone who can open doors. The move suggests Markle is at least exploring what a return to her former profession might look like.

According to a celebrity publicity expert quoted by The Mirror, the hiring signals intent. "Acting is what she's trained in, therefore it's viable she may have a cameo in a film or even TV," the expert said. But the consensus among those watching her career trajectory is that any return would be selective and limited in scope. PR consultant Mayah Riaz was direct about the likely parameters: she doubted Markle would commit to the kind of long-form television work that defined her Suits years. "If it is true the couple have hired Adam Lilling, then I'm sure we can expect some prominent Hollywood roles," Riaz said, but she framed these as likely to be shorter, more flexible engagements—guest appearances, film roles, cameos—rather than the grinding schedule of a series regular.

What made Markle's time on Suits significant was not just the role itself but the fan base it generated. Colin Grafton, who appeared on the show during its sixth season, recalled the scale of her popularity even then. "She had a lot of fans already like outside that were waiting for her," he told The Mirror, describing crowds gathering after filming wrapped. This was before her relationship with Prince Harry became public, before the royal wedding, before everything changed. The role had already made her someone people wanted to see.

There's an irony in Markle's path to that role. Years before she became Rachel Zane, she auditioned for the part and nearly sabotaged herself. Writing on her blog The Tig, she described the experience with candor: she forgot her lines, felt distracted, and left the audition convinced she had blown it. She called her agent afterward expecting to hear she hadn't gotten the part. But she had. The role that would define her pre-royal career came despite her own certainty that she had failed.

If Markle does pursue acting again, it would not come at the expense of her other commitments. Riaz noted that charity work and humanitarian interests have become central to how Markle defines herself. "Alongside whatever Meghan does, charity will stay close to her. She won't abandon her charity work due to pursuing another career," Riaz said. Any return to Hollywood would be layered on top of existing obligations, not a replacement for them. The question now is whether Lilling's connections will translate into concrete offers, and whether Markle will accept them.