Meghan Markle Movies and TV Shows: Complete acting career 

Before becoming the Duchess of Sussex through her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018, Markle had a successful acting career spanning over a decade. 

Her acting career began at Northwestern University, and she played the part of Rachel Zane for seven seasons (2011–2018) in the legal drama series Suits. 

This comprehensive guide explores her complete filmography from her early career beginnings to her final acting roles before joining the royal family.

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Suits (2011-2018)

Genre: Legal Drama
Role: Rachel Zane
Episodes: 100+ episodes across 7 seasons
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock

Markle's breakthrough and most significant role came as Rachel Zane in the USA Network legal drama Suits.

She played a paralegal-turned-lawyer who works at a prestigious New York law firm alongside Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht). 

Rachel is characterised as intelligent, ambitious, and determined to become a lawyer despite not having attended law school initially. 

Her romantic relationship with Mike Ross became a central storyline throughout the series. Markle's performance in Suits established her as a recognisable television actress and remained her most prominent role until she left the show in 2017 to prepare for her royal wedding.

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Deal or No Deal (2006-2007)

Genre: Game Show
Role: Briefcase Model #24
Episodes: Multiple episodes as a regular cast member
Where to Watch: Archive footage, various streaming platforms

Early in her career, Markle took on several contract acting and modelling jobs, including a stint as a "briefcase girl" on the US game show Deal or No Deal. 

She worked as one of the models who held numbered briefcases containing various cash amounts. 

This role provided her with regular television exposure and income during the early stages of her career, though she later described the experience as somewhat limiting creatively.

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General Hospital (2002)

Genre: Soap Opera
Role: Jill
Episodes: 2 episodes
Where to Watch: ABC streaming platforms, Hulu

Meghan Markle's rich career as an actress took in roles as a paralegal, a serial killer and a party animal, but her very first role was in 1995 at the age of 14. 

One of her earliest professional acting roles was a brief appearance on the long-running soap opera General Hospital, where she played a character named Jill in two episodes.

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Century City (2004)

Genre: Science Fiction Legal Drama
Role: Guest appearance
Episodes: 1 episode
Where to Watch: Limited availability

Early in her career, Markle had small guest roles on the television shows Century City (2004), The War at Home (2005), and CSI: NY (2004). This short-lived CBS series was set in 2030 and followed lawyers dealing with futuristic legal issues.

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CSI: NY (2006)

Genre: Crime Procedural
Role: Margo
Episodes: 1 episode ("Murder Sings the Blues")
Where to Watch: Paramount+, CBS streaming

Markle appeared in a guest role as Margo in the CSI: NY episode "Murder Sings the Blues," showcasing her ability to work within the popular crime procedural format.

The War at Home (2006-2007)

Genre: Sitcom
Role: Various characters
Episodes: 2 episodes
Where to Watch: Digital rental platforms

Markle made multiple appearances on this Fox family sitcom, demonstrating her comedic timing and versatility across different television genres.

Fringe (2009)

Genre: Science Fiction
Role: Amy Jessup
Episodes: 2 episodes in Season 2
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, digital rental

She was also in the first two episodes of the sci-fi series Fringe's sophomore season. Markle played Amy Jessup, a junior FBI agent who joins the Fringe division before being written out of the series early in the second season.

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Remember Me (2010)

Genre: Romantic Drama
Role: Megan
Runtime: 113 minutes
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, digital rental

She had small roles in the 2010 films Get Him to the Greek, Remember Me, and The Candidate. In this romantic drama starring Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin, Markle played a supporting role as Megan. 

The film deals with themes of love, loss, and family relationships set against the backdrop of New York City.

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Get Him to the Greek (2010)

Genre: Comedy
Role: Tatiana
Runtime: 109 minutes
Where to Watch: HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, digital rental

In this Judd Apatow-produced comedy starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill, Markle had a small role as Tatiana. The film follows a record company intern tasked with escorting an unpredictable rock star from London to Los Angeles for a concert.

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The Candidate (2010)

Genre: Political Thriller
Role: Supporting role
Runtime: Unknown
Where to Watch: Limited availability

Markle appeared in this independent political thriller, though details about her specific role remain limited. The film dealt with contemporary political themes and electoral processes.

Horrible Bosses (2011)

Genre: Dark Comedy
Role: FedEx Girl
Runtime: 98 minutes
Where to Watch: HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, digital rental

She was also in the 2011 movie Horrible Bosses. Markle had a brief role as a FedEx delivery person in this popular dark comedy starring Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis about three friends who plot to murder their terrible bosses.

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Random Encounters (2013)

Genre: Romantic Comedy
Role: Mindy
Runtime: 71 minutes
Where to Watch: Digital rental platforms

In this independent romantic comedy, Markle played Mindy, exploring themes of modern dating and relationships in contemporary urban settings.

Anti-Social (2015)

Genre: Crime Thriller
Role: Kirsten
Runtime: 116 minutes
Where to Watch: Digital rental platforms

Markle appeared in this British crime thriller about two brothers involved in London's criminal underworld. She played Kirsten in this gritty drama that explored themes of family loyalty and criminal enterprise.

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Dater's Handbook (2016)

Genre: Romantic Comedy (TV Movie)
Role: Cassandra Brand
Runtime: 83 minutes
Where to Watch: Hallmark Channel, digital platforms

In one of her final acting roles before joining the royal family, Markle starred in this Hallmark Channel original movie.

She played Cassandra Brand, a successful businesswoman who uses a self-help book to find the perfect man, only to discover that love doesn't always follow a formula.

Markle's acting career demonstrated steady progression from small guest roles to a starring position on a successful network television series.

Her work on Suits provided her with financial stability and international recognition, particularly after the show gained popularity on Netflix.

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The Tig (2014-2017)

Platform: Lifestyle Blog
Role: Creator and Writer

She also developed a social media presence, which included The Tig (2014–2017), a lifestyle blog. While not acting per se, The Tig showcased Markle's interests in fashion, food, travel, and social causes, helping to build her personal brand beyond her acting career.

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Career End and Royal Transition

Markle's acting career effectively ended when she became engaged to Prince Harry in 2017. She completed her final Suits episodes in early 2018, with her character Rachel Zane marrying Mike Ross and moving to Seattle, providing a satisfying conclusion to her seven-year run on the series.

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Elephant (2020)

Genre: Nature Documentary
Role: Narrator
Platform: Disney+
Where to Watch: Disney+

After stepping back from acting, Markle returned to entertainment in a different capacity by narrating this Disney+ nature documentary about elephants. This marked her first major entertainment project since becoming a member of the royal family.

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