Wendell Pierce Defends Meghan Markle from 'Challenging' Label, Calls Critic Unprincipled
Wendell Pierce, who played Meghan Markle's father on television, is defending her from critics.
On Friday, November 7, the 61-year-old Pierce took to social media, expressing his strong disapproval after a journalist labeled Meghan, 44, as "challenging" during her tenure on Suits.
"Meghan will not appreciate receiving directives from any producer. Cast members on Suits reportedly considered her ‘difficult, demanding, and ill-mannered’ even in her early career," Angela Levin, 80, conveyed on X, referencing ongoing whispers about Meghan’s potential comeback to acting.
Pierce, known for his role as attorney Robert Zane, father to Meghan's character Rachel Zane in the legal series, swiftly retorted.
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"You possess no understanding of the subject matter, @angelalevin1,” Pierce posted on X. “You are a purveyor of rumors seeking to gain from disparaging a woman you are unacquainted with. Meghan was a gracious, generous, and skilled performer whom I had the pleasure of collaborating with for many years. Angela, you are an unprincipled journalist. I am more upset with myself for letting your comments provoke me.”
He went on to say, “I will direct this frustration towards the bond Meghan and I share and the cherished recollections from our time on SUITS. Her dignity is a quality entirely foreign to you.”
Rumors suggest Meghan is planning to resume her acting career after an eight-year break, having left Suits in 2017 around the time of her engagement to Prince Harry.
People magazine reported on Wednesday, November 5, that Markle is collaborating with Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid, and Henry Golding on the forthcoming movie Close Personal Friends.
During a joint interview with Prince Harry for the BBC in November 2017, Meghan discussed stepping away from her part in Suits and her acting profession.
“I don't perceive it as abandoning anything. I view it simply as an evolution. It signifies a fresh beginning, correct?” she stated. “I have fulfilled this experience, and I am immensely proud of the contributions I made there, and now it is time to collaborate with [Harry] as a united front.”
Pierce has a history of publicly advocating for Meghan and has previously spoken about their final scene together on Suits before she concluded her role to become part of the Royal Family.
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“It was our final evening on set, and I told her, ‘Meghan, your existence is about to transform, and you will find yourself in a very public spotlight, but always keep in mind, regardless of circumstances, I am your friend, and you possess many friends,’” he recounted on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? in March 2024. “‘We constantly have you in our thoughts, we will perpetually support you. And be aware, wherever life takes you, you will always have a friend in me.’”
Back in 2013, Meghan shared with Esquire magazine how strong the bonds were among her fellow cast members, both during filming and in their personal lives.
“I believe that contributes to the show’s immense popularity. It is evident that we all share a harmonious relationship, both on-screen and off,” she informed Esquire then.
The series Suits aired for nine seasons, from 2011 to 2020, and also featured prominent actors such as Gabriel Macht, Patrick J Adams, Gina Torres, Sarah Lafferty, and Rick Hoffman.
