‘Vanity deals’: Brutal claim about Meghan and Harry’s Hollywood career

Reports are circulating that Meghan’s staff are “terrified” of her. Photo / CBS
Meghan Markle has denied a bombshell claim that her staff are “terrified” of her as a new report suggests she and Prince Harry are not being taken seriously in Hollywood.
It’s been an undoubtedly bruising week for the Duchess of Sussex, who was described by a source in a highly critical Hollywood Reporter article as “a dictator in high heels”.
“Everyone’s terrified of Meghan. She belittles people, she doesn’t take advice. They’re both poor decision­makers, they change their minds frequently.
“Harry is a very, very charming person – no airs at all – but he’s very much an enabler.
“And she’s just terrible,” the insider told the publication.
Harry and Meghan’s team has since hit back, describing the report as false.
One source also claimed to The Daily Beast that the quotes were “fabricated by someone lacking knowledge of our company”, as the royal couple work from their home in Montecito, near LA, and their staff are based in Hollywood.
“They likely think we’re all in the same office and that this quote would fly, but the circumstances don’t even allow for it,” the source said.
“If she’s ‘marching around’ and ‘barking orders’ no Archewell employee could factually claim that. It’s total nonsense.”
The Hollywood Reporter piece has since been followed by another unflattering report in the Daily Mail, in which a source, described as a “senior Hollywood publicist”, pointed out an odd detail about the original claims.
“Everyone, industry-wide, reads The Hollywood Reporter. It’s really striking that [Harry and Meghan’s public relations firm] WME did not stop this running.
“WME normally – you would think – would have been threatening and denying access to other stars. Was this done here?” the insider questioned.
“The only thing the Sussexes could rally with was ‘no comment at this time’ from a spokesman.”
The Mail also pointed out that the Sussexes were also recently the target of a scathing review on another Hollywood industry site, Puck, which described their reported $100 million-plus Netflix deal as the “worst” of the “peak TV period”.
Puck also claimed the costly deal is not expected to be renewed when it expires next year, and that it is yet to yield any huge successes outside of the explosive Harry & Meghan docu-series.
“I don’t think mainstream Hollywood ever took them seriously. From day one Archewell felt to most industry onlookers more like a brand-building exercise than a genuine production operation,” an insider, reportedly a senior producer, told the site.
“Netflix were handing out vanity deals like candy at the time and so everybody just shrugged their shoulders and assumed their company wouldn’t get much done despite the generous backing.
“But even Harry and Meghan naysayers would have been shocked at how little they’ve actually achieved.”
Both the duke and duchess have separate new TV projects in the works currently, with the teaser for Harry’s new documentary, POLO, released earlier this month. The series will follow elite global players of the sport, which Harry has also been involved with for many years.
Meanwhile, Meghan’s lifestyle and cooking show reportedly went into production earlier this year, although its premiere date is yet to be confirmed.
It’s understood to be tied in with the release of her new homewares brand, American Riviera Orchard, which was soft-launched in March.