Meghan Markle almost stopped acting because of one 'cliche' about LA girls: "I hated the idea of..."
Before Meghan Markle became famous as Rachel Zane on 'Suits', she was just a college student trying to find her way. But acting wasn’t always her first choice. Instead of going straight to auditions after high school, Meghan took a different path. She explored politics and diplomacy and even worked at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires. Her journey to success didn’t happen overnight. It was full of risks, surprises, and a little bit of luck. Let’s look at how this young woman from Los Angeles went from studying international relations to becoming a TV star.
Markle always had big dreams, but they didn’t start with Hollywood. While studying at Northwestern University, she loved theater but was also very interested in world affairs. Her interest in politics led her to study both theater and international relations. It’s an unusual combination, but it prepared her for her future as both an actress and a public figure. In an interview with MarieClaire.com, she said, "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."
By her third year in college, Markle had completed most of her classes and decided to apply for an internship at the U.S. Embassy, which led her to Buenos Aires. At just 20 years old, she worked during Argentina’s financial crisis and met top officials. She even took part in a motorcade with the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Paul O’Neill. For a while, Meghan thought she would have a future in politics. She imagined herself in a serious career, possibly working in Washington, D.C. But life had other plans, maybe even leading her to become the next Oprah, as reported by FandomWire.
During a Christmas visit to Los Angeles, Markle met a college friend who introduced her to a talent manager. Unlike many actors who struggled for years, Markle's acting career started quickly. The manager watched a student film she had been in and immediately saw her potential. According to Markle, "He saw a student film that I had done and said, ‘You know what, you’re going to make money, and I’ll take 10 percent, and I think you should stick around.’ I was really spoiled because I booked my first audition right away, so it’s the biggest tease because you think, ‘Oh, this is easy.’ All things considered, I’m so grateful and fortunate that I have a show now that’s doing well, but it’s not easy. It was definitely a struggle," as reported by FandomWire.
Of course, Hollywood isn’t always that simple. Even though she got lucky at the start, Markle soon realized how hard it was to get regular acting jobs. She took on small roles and kept going to auditions. Finally, her hard work paid off. In 2011, even though Markle thought she messed up her audition, she got the role that changed her life, Rachel Zane on 'Suits' and the rest is history. Markle's journey to fame wasn’t the usual Hollywood story, and that’s what makes it so interesting. From working in politics to acting, she embraced every challenge, showing that sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you don’t expect.