Are you wondering if Meghan Markle, aka the Duchess of Sussex, is going to pop up on USA Network’s upcoming “Suits” spinoff, “Pearson”? Yeah, so were reporters at the Television Critics Association winter press tour Tuesday. And no, we didn’t get a straight answer exactly. But we did get some chuckles and a “close to zero” response from the show’s creator.
“Anybody from ‘Suits’ expected to pop up, like Meghan Markle, maybe?” a journalist asked the “Pearson” creative team and cast, referencing the former USA-drama-star-turned-princess.
“Who?” Gina Torres — who plays the spinoff’s lead, Jessica Pearson — responded jokingly of her former co-star and now member of the British Royal Family, which elicited laughter from the group on stage and reporters in the audience.
“Simon [Kassianides]’s English, so he’s going to get her back,” “Suits” creator and “Pearson” executive producer Aaron Korsh added, referencing one of the cast members, to more laughter.
After the “Pearson” panel, Korsh expanded on his answer with a smaller group of reporters, telling TheWrap: “We’re not currently pursuing asking Meghan Markle to leave her position with the Royal Family and join us. I would love it, but I think it’s pretty close to zero.”
Markle starred on “Suits” — which was just renewed for a ninth and final season — as paralegal-turned-lawyer Rachel Zane from 2011 to 2018. She exited the show during the Season 7 finale in April 2018, along with her co-star Patrick J. Adams (who played Mike Ross), after their two characters tied the knot and moved away for new jobs in Seattle.
In reality, Markle retired from acting due to her engagement and subsequent marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018.
Regarding the possibility of Adams returning for the show’s series finale, Korsh said this: “I had discussed with Patrick when he left the possibility of coming back. We both decided if the time is right and he was up for it and he had the time that he would do it. We’re just starting our writers room for the year so I don’t know yet.”
Torres stars on “Pearson,” which will follow the titular “Suits” character as she adjusts to Chicago politics. During Season 7, Pearson left New York City for Chicago.
The drama comes from Universal Cable Productions (UCP). Korsh will executive produce, with Daniel Arkin serving as executive producer and showrunner. Torres, Doug Liman, David Bartis and Gene Klein of Hypnotic will also executive produce.