Entertainment
'Suits' Star Meghan Markle: 10 Things You Didn't Know About USA Network's Rachel Zane Actress
- Christian Saclao , Design & Trend
- Jul, 03, 2016, 12:26 PM
Fans of USA Network's "Suits" will learn more about Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle) in the upcoming season 6 of the hit legal drama series. In a recent interview with E! News, series star Patrick J. Adams confirmed that Mike Ross' (Adams) imprisonment allows the show to explore Rachel's character outside of her love life. But as we wait for the new season to premiere, we think that it's a great time to also know the actress behind the character much better. Below are 10 things that you probably didn't know about Markle:
1. She was a frequent visitor to the set of "Married... with Children."
Markle's father was a lighting director and director of photography for the Fox sitcom. The actress told Esquire that she was on the set of the show "every day after school for 10 years," and that's why she will always find her light during filming. "I will always find my light. No question," she said. "And if I don't, I'll know, because my dad will be the first person to call me and say like, 'You need to have him bring another 2K in,' and 'Why aren't you using this sort of lighting gel?' The crew guys know that it's where I grew up."
2. She worked for the U.S. Embassy in Argentina.
After graduating from Northwestern University with a dual major in theatre and international relations, Markle worked for the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. "I was there for about six months during what would have been my senior year of university," the 34-year-old actress told Best Health Magazine. "I had finished my credits early so I went there to work as an intern and then I moved to Madrid shortly after that."
3. She was a former "Deal or No Deal" model.
Markle made her "Deal or No Deal" debut as one of the briefcase models late in the first season of the game show back in 2006. Aside from a single appearance holding case #12, Markle was the regular model carrying case #24. Markle quit the show when its sophomore run ended early 2007.
4. She worked as a freelance calligrapher.
"I went to an all-girls Catholic school for like six years during the time when kids actually had handwriting class," Markle shared when Esquire's Matt Goulet mentioned how great the actress' handwriting is. "I've always had a propensity for getting the cursive down pretty well. What it evolved into was my pseudo-waitressing job when I was auditioning. I didn't wait tables. I did calligraphy for the invitations for, like, Robin Thicke and Paula Patton's wedding."
Markle also used to do calligraphy for Dolce & Gabbana's celebrity correspondence during the holidays.
When asked if she still does calligraphy, she answered: "Honestly, in my trailer? Can you imagine? I am so tempted to do it just one or two times just to see."
5. She's the founder of The Tig.
The Tig (thetig.com) is a lifestyle website which profiles inspirational people and publishes stories about self-image, food, travel and decor. Apart from overseeing the site, Markle also writes all of its content.
6. She was previously married.
Markle wed Trevor Engelson, owner of management/production company Underground, in Jamaica back in 2011. The couple split in 2013.
7. She has two rescue dogs, Bogart and Guy.
Bogart is Markle's first dog ever. "Bogart is possibly a Lab/Shepherd mix. I'm not entirely sure," she told Best Health Magazine. Markle adopted Bogart from a dog shelter after Ellen DeGeneres told her to do so.
"I was in LA and I went to this dog rescue [shelter]... So I saw him and I was sitting there with him and then Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi walk in," she recalled. "Ellen goes 'Is that your dog?' And I said, 'No,' and she's like, 'You have to take that dog. ... Rescue the dog!' ... And so I brought him home. Because Ellen told me to."
When Markle realized that Bogart might like to have a companion, she looked for a small dog to be his buddy, and that happened to be Guy, a beagle.
8. She has a huge crush on Dennis Quaid.
When asked who her male celebrity crush is, Markle told Best Health Magazine: "You're going to laugh at who my male celebrity crush is but I'll never let it go. I love Dennis Quaid!"
9. She does yoga.
Markle does hot yoga a couple times a week. She started doing yoga at a very young age.
"My mom is a yoga instructor, and I started doing mommy-and-me yoga with her when I was 7," she told Best Health Magazine. "In college, I started doing it more regularly."
10. She loves to cook.
Markle's appreciation for food started on the set of "Married... with Children." As mentioned above, she grew up on the set of the TV series, but because of the adult content of the show, her dad would have her help in craft services, which is where the staff make all the food.
"That's where I started to learn about garnishing and plating," she told Best Health Magazine. "After being there every day after school for 10 years and seeing the appreciation of food, I started to learn the association between food and happiness and being able to entertain -- I think that's where the seed was planted."
Do you know other interesting facts about Markle? Share them in the comments below!
"Suits" season 6 premieres on Wednesday, July 13, at 9 p.m. on USA Network.
