Meghan Markle’s journey to landing her iconic role as Rachel Zane in Suits is a story of undeniable on-screen chemistry and a stroke of good fortune.
Her co-star, Patrick J. Adams, who played Mike Ross, recently shared insights into how she “crushed” her chemistry read and secured the part almost instantly.
Patrick Adams and Meghan Markle’s Chemistry
According to Adams, Meghan was a natural from the very start. During a podcast episode of Sidebar: A Suits Watch, Adams recalled how comfortable and confident she was during the audition process.
“It was pretty clear that she was gonna get the part,” he said, emphasizing how easily they connected during the read.
This wasn’t the first time the two actors had crossed paths. Meghan and Adams had previously worked together on a failed pilot called Good Behavior back in 2008.
“It was a terrible, terrible pilot,” Adams admitted, but that experience helped ease any nerves when they met again for the *Suits* audition. “Knowing each other really helped with the chemistry read,” Adams explained, noting that their prior connection made it easier to perform together.
For the audition, Adams had already been cast as Mike Ross and was brought in to read with the actresses vying for the role of Rachel Zane. When it was Meghan’s turn, Adams immediately felt a spark.
“It was just so much easier than with anybody else,” he said, highlighting their effortless rapport.
The scene they performed was no walk in the park either. Sarah Rafferty, another Suits cast member who co-hosts the podcast with Adams, described the audition scene as a “bear of an audition,” due to its intensity.
It was Meghan’s very first scene in the show, where Mike Ross nervously compliments Rachel, then awkwardly denies hitting on her, only to end the moment by whispering, “I love you.”
Despite the complexity of the scene, Adams recalled how Meghan “crushed it,” both in the audition and later in the series.
Interestingly, Meghan’s on-screen chemistry with Adams had a rather awkward impact on her real-life relationship with Prince Harry. In his memoir Spare, Harry admitted he had mistakenly watched some of Meghan’s love scenes from Suits early in their relationship.
“It would take electric-shock therapy to get those images out of my head,” Harry wrote, reflecting on his discomfort at seeing those steamy moments.
Meghan’s effortless performance during the audition cemented her as the perfect choice for Rachel Zane, a role that would go on to define her acting career before she stepped into the global spotlight as a member of the British royal family.