Long before she met Prince Harry, Meghan Markle was a successful actress with a very impressive list of film and TV credits under her belt. Having grown up on the set of the 80s sitcom Married With Children, where her dad, Thomas Markle, worked as a lighting director and director of photography, a young Meghan quickly caught the acting bug.
During a 2013 interview with Marie Claire, she explained: "I had always been the theater nerd at Northwestern University. I knew I wanted to do acting, but I hated the idea of being this cliché—a girl from L.A. who decides to be an actress. I wanted more than that, and I had always loved politics, so I ended up changing my major completely, and double-majoring in theater and international relations."
So, what exactly has Meghan Markle starred in? From her best-known role as Rachel Zane on Suits to her surprising roles on Castle, Deal or No Deal and more, here's what she's appeared in…
What TV shows has Meghan Markle appeared in?
Suits
As royal fans will know, Meghan Markle portrayed powerhouse paralegal Rachel Zane on Suits from 2011-2018, before leaving the show ahead of her royal wedding to Prince Harry. Speaking about her role on the legal drama, she said: "I see Rachel as such a good friend, and when you play a character you love, it's so much easier. I root for her; I'm almost like a fan. If I wasn't on the show, I would really love this show, because each of the characters are like someone you know. Rachel is like the ultimate best friend—who has a closet that I always borrow things from in my personal life." Despite the recent resurgence of popularity, it has been confirmed that it will be unlikely for Meghan to return for a potential reboot.
Deal or No Deal
Years before crossing paths with Prince Harry, Meghan held briefcase number 24 during her time as a model on the US version of Deal or No Deal in 2006. In a bid to pursue her acting dreams, the budding actress accepted the job whilst studying at Northwestern University. The job "could pay my bills. I had income, I was part of the Union, I had health insurance, it was great," she revealed.
However, Meghan's time on the show wasn't always plain sailing. Speaking to Paris Hilton on an episode of her Archetypes podcast, she explained how she felt "forced to be all looks and little substance," after receiving spray tan vouchers each week and being told to "suck it in," by a lady who ran the show. She added: "I ended up quitting the show. Like I said, I was thankful for the job but not for how it made me feel, which was not smart."
Castle
In 2012 Meghan appeared in season four episode 17 of Castle, titled 'Once Upon a Crime'. Taking on the role of Charlotte, who was later revealed to be the killer, Meghan took part in some seriously intense and suspenseful scenes alongside Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic.
What movies has Meghan Markle appeared in?
Horrible Bosses
You might be surprised to know that Meghan Markle actually stars in Horrible Bosses, which was released in 2011. Acting opposite Jason Sudeikis in the role of a FedEx delivery girl, the pair share a flirty scene.
When Sparks Fly
Delighting Hallmark fans, in 2014 Meghan portrayed Amy Peterson in When Sparks Fly, which you can currently watch via Amazon. The synopsis reads: "Fireworks go off when Amy Peterson comes home to help save her family's annual 4th of July celebration and discovers she loves the man she left behind years ago to pursue her dreams of becoming a journalist."
Anti-Social
Available to watch on ITVX, in 2015 Meghan joined the cast of Anti-Social, a crime film which also stars Gregg Sulkin and Josh Myers. The synopsis reads: "Central London, today: Dee is an anarchic street-artist confronting the system; Marcus is an armed robber on a jewelry-store crime-wave. For the two brothers, being Anti-Social is a way of life." In the movie, Meghan starred as Kirsten.
Like this story? Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter and get the heads-up on the shows and films everyone’s talking about.