NEED TO KNOW
- Meghan Markle was photographed wearing one of her signature styles on the set of the new movie Close Personal Friends
- The Duchess of Sussex is playing herself in the film as she makes her return to acting after eight years
- An insider told PEOPLE, “She introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down-to-earth”
Meghan Markle is getting to know everyone on set!
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The Duchess of Sussex, 44, was photographed on the set of the Amazon MGM Studios film Close Personal Friends in Pasadena, California, on Wednesday, Nov. 5. Meghan sported one of her signature styles, pairing a striped button-down shirt with a white maxi skirt and sandals for a casual look. She accessorized with a pair of sunglasses and a stack of gold bracelets with a watch.
An insider confirmed to PEOPLE on Nov. 5 that Meghan was on the set of the movie that day, sharing, “She has a small part. She seemed very relaxed and happy.”
The insider added that Meghan “introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down-to-earth.”
Meghan will play herself in the film, which stars Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding.
PEOPLE has reached out to a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex for comment.
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The role marks Meghan’s return to acting after leaving the profession ahead of her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry. She got her start in Hollywood in bit parts on shows like Fringe and The League, as well as appearances as a suitcase model on Deal or No Deal. When she met Harry, she was working as a series regular on the legal drama Suits.
A studio source told The Sun, which was first to report the news: “This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves. She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right.”
“It is Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set,” the source said. “Everyone involved is super-excited and have been sworn to secrecy about her involvement.”
The source added that Prince Harry is “really supportive” and “quite simply wants Meghan to do whatever brings her joy.”
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Meghan spoke about stepping back from acting during her 2017 engagement interview with Prince Harry.
“I don’t see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change,” she said at the time. “It’s a new chapter. Right. And also keep in mind I’ve been working on my show for seven years. So we’re very very fortunate to be able to have that sort of longevity on a series and for me, once we hit the 100-episode marker I thought, you know what, I have ticked this box and I feel really proud of the work I’ve done there and now it’s time to, as you said, work as a team with you.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 and now are raising their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in Meghan’s home state of California.
Despite living a couple of hours’ drive from the entertainment epicenter of Los Angeles, Meghan echoed that she was not looking to get back into acting in a 2022 interview with Variety.
“I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not,” she said.
While Meghan hasn’t had an acting role in eight years, she’s been in front of the camera in other capacities. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex starred in the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan before she hosted two seasons of her lifestyle series With Love, Meghan for the streaming service.
