Meghan, Harry have ‘last’ chance to salvage their image during ‘industry shutdown’: expert
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may look to make a major business move as Hollywood’s SAG-AFTRA strike rages on, according to a film expert.
Filmmaker Paul Duddridge claims that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could utilize the strike to their advantage — and warns it could be their last chance to salvage their image.
“Harry and Meghan may yet turn out to be beneficiaries of the strike,” Duddridge told the Express.
“It will give them a much-needed chance to review their creative strategies while using the industry shutdown as cover.”
Duddridge said the exiled royals “need to flip the narrative.”
“They have seemingly worn out the goodwill of the Royal Family and have not set the world alight with their creative output in the US,” he went on.
“They are now well-positioned to salvage their image with a critical success in the creative sphere. They should grab this opportunity with both hands. It may be their last.”
Thousands of actors and entertainers striking in Hollywood and around the country with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for the first time in over six decades.
The SAG-AFTRA unanimously voted to stop working after their contract expired and talks broke off with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents streamers Disney, Netflix, Amazon and others.
The strike marks the first time the 160,000-member-strong SAG-AFTRA has walked out from film and television since 1980.
The actor-screenwriter strike is the first joint walkout in more than six decades — and has the potential to block dozens of upcoming projects — such as the “Avatar” and “Gladiator” sequels — until a new contract with studios and streaming services is reached.
Both SAG-AFTRA and the WGA are demanding a rise in pay and residuals in the streaming era.
They are also seeking assurances that their work will not be replaced by artificial intelligence in the near future.
The Sussexes, who have remained tight-lipped amid the strike, were recently snubbed of an Emmy nomination for their Netflix documentary series “Harry & Meghan.”
Their six-part series failed to score any Emmy nominations despite the project bringing in a total of 81.6 million hours watched.
But despite the doc not scooping any Emmy nods, it did receive a nomination for the Hollywood Critics Awards in the Best Streaming Nonfiction category.
The news follows hot on the heels of the pair’s media empire seemingly crumbling, where they lost out on their $20 million Spotify contract.
Spotify’s axing had since forced Netflix to speak out on its partnership with the Sussexes, saying the streamer has no plans to put an end to its working relationship with the couple.
Harry and Meghan penned a $100 million agreement in 2021 to create shows and other content with the streaming service.
