In a recent episode of her podcast Archetypes, Meghan Markle, the former Suits actress, expressed her frustration with the entertainment industry and its portrayal of women.
Markle, who had hoped to be embraced by Hollywood, revealed that she has been labeled as hysterical and crazy, perpetuating irrational stereotypes of women on television.
Despite her successful role in Suits, Markle felt that Hollywood never fully accepted her.
Unlike many other actors who commuted back and forth, she became a full-time resident of Toronto.
Even with her newfound fame and the support of Prince Harry, Hollywood did not give her the recognition she believed she deserved.
This disappointment has fueled her anger and desire to bring attention to these issues.
During her podcast, Markle asked her listeners to raise their hands if they had ever been called crazy or hysterical.
She highlighted the prevalence of such labels in our culture and shared her own experiences.
To illustrate her point, she criticized two popular television shows: How I Met Your Mother and Scrubs.
Markle played a clip from How I Met Your Mother, featuring Neil Patrick Harris’ character Barney saying, “If she’s this crazy, she has to be this hot.”
She also quoted conservative philosopher Jordan Peterson, who made a controversial statement about women.
In Scrubs, Markle highlighted a line from Sarah Chalk’s character, Carla, where she said, “I can’t take it, Carla.
Cannot hide the crazy a minute longer.”
Markle argued that lines like these perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
She criticized popular movies and shows like Austin Powers, Kill Bill, and How I Met Your Mother for their negative portrayals.
By calling out these beloved productions, Markle aims to shed light on the racist and sexist undertones present in entertainment media.
However, some critics argue that Markle is being selective in her criticisms.
They point out that she fails to address shows like Deal or No Deal, which objectify women, or Suits, where her primary role was to be an overly sexualized vixen to a white man.
This inconsistency has led to her losing support within Hollywood.
Recently, a studio head publicly advised Markle against promoting cancel culture in the entertainment industry.
This advice raises the question of when Hollywood will turn its back on Markle.
Reddit users have also criticized her podcast, calling it shallow and manipulative.
They argue that Markle lacks self-awareness and fails to connect with others on a deeper level.
Markle’s podcast episode has sparked a conversation about the portrayal of women in the entertainment industry.
While some applaud her for speaking out against harmful stereotypes, others believe she is selectively targeting certain shows and movies.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how Hollywood will respond to Markle’s criticisms and whether she will find the acceptance she desires.