Meghan Markle's most regrettable acting role is not her brief appearance in 90210 or her long-running part in Suits, but rather a 2015 advertising campaign for Canadian clothing retailer Reitmans. According to showbiz editor Jess Phillips, the ads are a cringe-worthy display of vanity and poor acting that foreshadowed later controversies.
The Reitmans Campaign: A Self-Aggrandising Faux Pas
The adverts feature Meghan, then a relatively unknown actress on Suits, being 'papped' in public while strangers clamour to find out where she got her jeans—which are, of course, from Reitmans. In one spot, she is accosted by women trying to sneak photographs of her during a quiet meal; in another, a man dances with her, amazed to be in her presence. Phillips describes the acting as 'pantomime-like' and 'cringe'.
Behind-the-Scenes Drama: Allegations of Diva Behaviour
Royal author Tom Bower, in his book Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, claims that Meghan 'bulldozed her way through' the campaign. Advert director Jean Malek allegedly posted on Facebook: 'She is definitely the meanest person I've ever met. Just saying.' Bower also reports that Meghan complained about the size of her 4-star hotel room, which cost around $1,200 per night, and that her agent insisted she not be 'hassled by the hotel staff, other guests or photographers.'
Comparing the Ads to Later Royal Controversies
Phillips argues that the Reitmans campaign is a precursor to Meghan's post-royal behaviour, including her Netflix show and As Ever brand, where she appears desperate for attention. 'If Meghan had instead settled down into a quiet life in California, I'd be all for it. Instead she's determined to revamp the acting career she once left behind,' Phillips writes.
The ads' focus on Meghan as a celebrity—even in Montreal, where she was less known—mirrors accusations that she wants to upstage the Royal Family. 'I'd certainly regret agreeing to front a fashion campaign only to make it all about myself,' Phillips concludes.
