On September 12, the Hollywood Reporter’s Rambling Reporter did a completely bizarre story called “Why Hollywood Keeps Quitting on Harry and Meghan.” The evidence of “Hollywood quitting” the Sussexes is that Harry fired a chief of staff after three months (the guy has been leaking about it ever since) and… something something Netflix! Honestly, the bulk of THR’s story was recycled gossip from 2018-19, when Harry and Meghan lived in the UK and they were under siege on a daily basis from an unhinged national media and a monarchy set on destroying them. That’s when Kensington Palace gave birth to the “Duchess Difficult” narrative, a narrative about Meghan “bullying” staffers and “making grown men cry.” Remember the 5 am emails? THR dusted that off too. One source claimed, “She’s absolutely relentless. She marches around like a dictator in high heels, fuming and barking orders. I’ve watched her reduce grown men to tears.” Goals, truly. A vibe, as the kids would say. Well, it took a week, but now the Daily Mail is trying to piggyback on THR’s story. The Mail’s Alison Boshoff screeches the same question the Mail has been desperately obsessed with for years: “Has Hollywood turned on the Sussexes?” Some highlights:
The Sussexes were missing from WME’s Emmys afterparty: Missing, though, was one of Emanuel’s most famous clients, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. She signed with him in April 2023 in what seemed to be a certain harbinger of some big-ticket commercial tie-ups and maybe more deals in entertainment to go alongside her existing Netflix gig. But – just three days after a brutal take-down in the usually placid industry bible The Hollywood Reporter, which labelled her as ‘Duchess Difficult’, neither she nor husband Prince Harry were showing their faces. They weren’t nominated for any Emmys either – obviously.
Were they invited? Whether they didn’t get an invite or declined to go, their attendance at the event would have made the couple appear at least sanguine in the wake of the article which talked about her working practices, saying she was ‘just terrible’, ‘a dictator in high heels’ and had ‘made grown men cry’. However, for whatever reason, the pair stayed home. It matters if you work in TV and don’t go to the Emmys. People notice and judge which rung of the ladder you are on accordingly.
Schadenfreude & venom: One senior figure, who has watched Harry and Meghan’s progress in Hollywood with interest, said this week that they seem to be reaping the kind of ‘schadenfreude with extra venom’ at which the entertainment business excels. He adds: ‘It was only a matter of time before the industry Press started taking shots. It’s hard to find anyone with a good word to say for their film and television credibility.’
The Hollywood Reporter hit-piece: In all, the Hollywood Reporter article was just the kind of unflattering ‘hit piece’ which you might expect the talent agency WME to have strangled at birth for their client, Meghan. One senior Hollywood publicist tells me: ‘First of all, everyone industry-wide, EVERYONE reads The Hollywood Reporter. It’s really striking that WME did not stop this running.’ She adds: ‘WME normally – you would think – would have been threatening and denying access to other stars. Was this done here? The only thing the Sussexes could rally with was ‘no comment at this time’ from a spokesman.’
The Sussexes were never taken seriously: A senior producer says: ‘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. 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. And in the more austere climate of the industry in 2024 when thousands of people have lost jobs and the entertainment industry economy is struggling, there’s now a genuine dislike and distrust towards them by some.’
Meghan’s Netflix cooking show: Netflix is understood to have offered to run the ARO brand for Meghan, which makes sense as it has huge experience of global marketing and merchandising. And Netflix boss Ted Sarandos, in London this week for the Royal Television Society conference, is a voice on her side. He said of Meghan: ‘I’ve been out with a lot of famous people before – the way that people react to Meghan is otherworldly.’
The second half of the piece is just Boshoff trying to mock Meghan’s ARO venture (it hasn’t launched yet) and the cooking show (it hasn’t aired yet) and it all has the whiff of bullsh-t. ALL of this does, from the Hollywood Reporter piece (which mimicked years-old smears on Meghan) to the NY Post picking up THR’s story, to this. The only legitimate point I think Boshoff makes here is that WME should have done more to push back on THR’s story, or Archewell should have pushed back with their own operation. Y’all have yelled at me for this for years, but it’s incredibly stupid for Harry and Meghan to let these nasty “industry stories” sit and fester unchallenged. I get why the Sussexes mostly give the silent treatment to the lunacy from Salt Island. But when these sh-tty, out-of-nowhere attacks come from the Hollywood Reporter or Bill Simmons, you can’t just no-comment the situation. Fight back, it’s about your business! It’s about your professional reputation!
Also: no, Hollywood hasn’t turned on them. They are still famous and well-connected and they have many industry allies and friends. Harry just won an ESPY Award and he’s about to speak at the Clinton Global Initiative. Meghan is one of the most talked-about women in the world and her most recent interview was to the NY Times, where she described her investments in women-led fashion labels. Even if Harry and Meghan were not hilariously successful by every metric, they still wouldn’t come crawling back to Salt Island. Which, let’s be real, is the narrative the Mail is trying to sell.
Photos courtesy of Netflix.
I don’t understand how the mail can publish this with a straight face, while Harry and Meghan were spotted leaving Tyler Perry’s birthday party and they were seen surrounded by A-listers at that bookshop opening. And what is even more unbelievable is that people actually believe it.
I agree with you, Kaiser, on the communication front. There are certainly some improvements Archewell can make.
Also worth noting that amongst the A Listers at the bookshop opening was Ted Sarandos who is Netflix’s co-CEO and who recently gave an interview saying that he’s hung out with a lot of famous people but never seen people react to someone the way they react to Meghan and he even called it “otherworldly”.
I believe the public is catching on to the palace’s media chess moves and do notice the patterned timing of their lines of offense.
They’ll do it to Harry this week because “A very royal scandal” released on Amazon Prime this weekend and hit number 3 in both Europe and the US.
@klingon get a dictionary. Otherworldly synonyms are ethereal, magical, mystical etc…
Look. The Sussexes are beyond A list. They use their spotlight to highlight amazing causes. Honestly if they had gone to the Emmy’s it would have been wild. They would have needed to sneak it etc otherwise the press and the other celebs would have lost it. It’s really Meghan. Harry is amazing and cool. Meghan is ethereal. Like an angel. But genuine. That’s her vibe. Transcendent.
Also. They weren’t nominated. They would have been ripped apart by a certain class of person for attending when they weren’t nominated.
Plus the way they parse out their public sightings keeps them in a stratosphere all their own. They do the unexpected and they are also rare. That’s excellent.
I do want her management team to do more for them but honestly? I can see Meghan being like – this first year I want you to watch. Yes we will hit back. But you have never dealt with anything like this before. You will need to research where each story is actually coming from and what it’s intended impact is.
The Emmys were on Harry’s birthday they were never going to go. The Mail article is an attempt to make people care about THR story. It’s a rehash of so many other articles that people outside the royal gossip world don’t care anymore.
This is part of some renewed smear effort, likely from the palace, in response to the media backlash at that unpopular video. This new smear recently included other stuff about Meghan being difficult to work with.
Here’s the thing, it’s getting old to readers and they are not responding at the keyboard to these retaliatory chess move type smears intended to distract everyone from the once again bad public response William and Kate received.
I’m sure everyone notices the precision timing of these retaliatory smears as media chess moves by the palace.
Please everyone look up “grey rocking” as well narcissistic abuse.
The absolute best way you can “win” against a narcissist (or narcissistic institution or family) is to give them no attention and no oxygen. No reaction of any kind. Ever.
The second they get any kind of reaction, their clock resets and they go in harder. And after the thing you defended or corrected. They think it’s a “weak spot” and they will exploit it to hurt you.
What you need to do is wait. Even the loyal and adoring fans/ friends/ family will tire of the same angry rants on a decade old perceived slight. Trust me. Then they turn on each other and it’s a blood bath.
Yup. A narc loves nothing more than getting an indignant response from someone. They live for it because it fuels their spitefulness. I’ve had to deal with narc family members and work colleagues, and learned the hard way to just ignore them. When there’s no fuel there’s no fire.
If Hollywood never took the Sussexes seriously, then how could Hollywood have turned on them?
I agree about WME – it’s hard to know what they’re doing for Meghan.
It wouldn’t be up to WME to counter silly nonsensical hit pieces like that but Archewell could have done more to push back. That being said these hit pieces aren’t landing anymore. The NY Post article was widely mocked on social media with the majority of people seeing it for what it was or siding with Meghan. Hit pieces that lack detail, evidence and appear incoherent and over the top will never have legs. Which is why only tabloids have picked this story up. Also you can’t say Hollywood hates them but then in the same breath article say the head of Netflix (an extremely powerful executive in Hollywood) is on their side and expect us to fall for your narrative.
It’s hard to say what “landing” means, given social media. If it’s showing up on everybody’s feed, is that “landing”? Or is it only if it hits mainstream media?
As for “legs,” it’s interesting to me that it took almost 10 days for the DM, Daily Beast, etc. to pick up on this. Why? Maybe to follow Harry as he goes to NY?
@Eurydice By landing I mean it is taken seriously and becomes a hot topic among the non tabloid reading population. When broadsheet publications and outlets like BBC or CNN discuss it, it has landed. If an article is widely mocked on social media with viral tweets defending Meghan (as happened with the NY Post article) and no broadsheets pick it up it has not landed, not even in the UK.
@Julia – almost everyone I know is of the “non-tabloid reading population” (that’s why I come here). They know hardly anything about the RF, but even they have the hazy impression that Meghan is a gold-digging, lying man-eater and Harry is a foolish wimp. Talk about legs – at this point, there are 6 years plus of narrative polluting the atmosphere. But when it comes to the good things H&M have done or positive stories, even the positive parts of Spare and the documentary and the Oprah interview – those get reported only once. BBC, CNN, etc., aren’t going to waste space on reporting how great H&M are every single day – they’re not obligated to embiggen like the BM are for the RF. Social media has clouded over the traditional outlets, and not just about H&M.
@Eurydice Meghan will always give rise to polarizing opinions. But from perspective of Hollywood, its not bad to be polarizing. You can market polarizing, you can sell products using it. What you can’t sell/market is the boring and not exciting people or entities. WME didn’t sign Meghan to make her America’s sweetheart, that ship sailed after 2019 and 2020. They hope to make money, build brand and they know Meghan has enough pull to do just that. Also, history will be kind to Meghan, the royal propaganda has already failed. So what WME is doing is helping her build ARO and her brand. Success is the best answer to everything. Its Hollywood, nobody is a saint and Meghan’s basically spotless in comparison to others who make top money in it. So, they don’t need to constantly fight niche UK publications. All that would do is give them more column inches and stories.
The story wasn’t even picked up by TMZ or US weekly. BBC recently reported on Josh Kettler leaving and did multiple pieces on Harry’s birthday and whether he wanted to return to the royal family, they also reported on Colombia, Nigeria, Canada and the Delinquency Notice. They report on H&M a lot. They did not say a word about THR article, nor did Sky News or ITV (both outlets reported extensively on Harry’s birthday). It got no pick up outside tabloids, which is unusual in the UK for stories on H&M. Even GB News did a push back story on THR article. That’s how I know it didn’t land. As for social media there was so much push back in the NY post article, with viral tweets and thousands of quote tweets supporting Meghan. It really backfired. This article had changed no one’s opinion and moved the needle not a jot…
Your non-tabloid reading friends must be clicking on some outlet that is repeating tabloid points if they have that impression.
Thank you Julia. This shite has been going on from the day the world learned that Harry liked a black woman. But let’s start pretending like there’s something new here. As Harry said to Steven Colbert, the mere fact of them succeeding outside of that institution is a threat to the institution. So buckle up. The smears are just entering 5th gear.
Maybe Archewell couldn’t push back more because the staff there know that this report is true.
@equality – the thing is that all outlets have repeated tabloid points at one time or another. We’ve seen them in the NYT, the WP, the WSJ, the BBC, the New Yorker, even in a long NPR discussion about Spare they perpetuated the story that Harry’s not very bright. When a narrative is repeated several times a day over several years, it leaks into everything – you don’t have to go looking for it.
@linkedbylove So it’s true that she stomps around the office barking orders, even though she works from home in Montecito not in an office and her staff are in Hollywood? Highly improbable I would say.
@Eurydice Landing means everyone is talking about it/cares about the story outside of the usual bubble. Case in point the Janet Jackson comments about VP Harris, which has been reported in Rolling Stone, Washington Post, BBC etc…The P Diddy story which is everywhere. This THR story is now relegated to British tabloids. That is how we can say it didn’t land.
@Linkedbylove it wouldn’t make sense for the staff of Archewell to not pushback because it was the truth. The staff wouldn’t be there if the story was the truth. What person would remain in a place that is unstable and volatile after leaking that information to a tabloid? Leaking that type of information would only guarantee an even more volatile and unpredictable work environment that no one would risk by leaking that type of information and remaining there. Notice that the one that is always labeled this is the biracial woman who has never been referred to as anything other than kind, helpful and caring. It’s the racists trope of the angry black woman that has been the right wing talking point about any woman of color who is successfully or accomplished.
To me, the whole non tabloid reading friends is a bit like non decided voters who “lean toward” Trump because Kamala hasn’t provided enough details about her policies. I don’t fault Eurydice for the “non tabloid reading” friends. People know their audience and who wants to admit to reading tabloids for “news” to a person with the moniker of Eurydice? (That’s a homage to you Eurydice.) lol.
Look this smear is a lot like non-tabloid press (you know the serious full on gravitas with a gazillion Pulitzer ones) treating Joe Biden with prejudice while letting Trump off the hook and normalizing his awfulness. It’s the same way today’s NYT is trying to stir up some girl fightBS between Kamala Harris with Kimberly Guilfoyle from events that took place 20 years ago. That NYT lent credence to Guilfoyle and her spewing BS is part of mainstream media descent into tabloid status.
So folks that’s where we are with the press. Tabloid and non tabloid news merged and we got a toxic stew.
Well did they not see that they both were invited to Kevin Costner awards event. Did they not see them going to Tyler Perry’s birthday party with lots of A list celebrities! I think they did and they are furious so they try to gaslight with this dis-information.
Of course they did, but they ignore what doesn’t fit with the narrative.
As I’ve said before Ari Emanuel from WWE doesn’t believe in countering nasty stories, somewhat like the Windsor’s “never complain, never explain” but there have been certain instances where, like Kaiser, I believe it would have been in the couple’s best interest to push back.
I think most of you missed the larger issue with this tabloid story. THR changed ownership a few years ago.. it’s owned by Jay Penske. Father is huge Trump supporter but not sure how right wing the younger Bain is. Part of the mission was to make stuff more “right” in Hollywood. Given the alliance with right folks in media .. Murdoch tabloid in US and UK and Heritage group.. this kind of story make s sense.
Thank you I KNEW there was a right wing connection to ownership.
This makes a lot of sense. i was surprised when Lainey took the THR article seriously- like there is something really there. I think Lainey had pushback on her reporting of the Sussexes – now she’s silent on them and mostly positive on Kate.
Exactly!
@EasternViolet — I’ve stopped reading Lainey for the most part for that exact reason. She really has some very biased opinions and seems to have morphed into some self-aggrandizing pundit.
THR took the side of the studios during the strikes so they haven’t been viewed as neutral for a while.
I don’t think Lainey took the THR article seriously or even discussed it. I think it was the People article from a few weeks before and she had a positive view of the Kate video that ripped from twilight.
It wasn’t Lainey but Maria who referenced the article. Maria admitted it was a rehash but then commented that maybe there was something there, as in something to it about them not finishing projects in a timely manner or in general being all over the place. Which we’ve seen a few commenters today trying to suggest. Which I don’t agree with. The article was a clear hit and seemed to come out just as the wales were getting bad press. So I’m not going to assume ooh maybe there’s something there from a hit piece clearly coming from a place of malice, like that’s just bad faith and wanting to find an issue imo. People who want to find an issue with Meghan will read a hit piece and find details to support their previously held opinion. Find me an article with clear evidence beyond sources making old and vague innuendos beyond a source saying their all over the place. Especially an unnamed source in a clear hit piece. Like come on.
This really does make so much sense.
Salt Island’s other narrative is ‘see we told you she was awful so that justifies all the toxic things we have been saying about her and it’s not because we are a bunch of racist a***holes’.
I don’t really understand criticisms of the Sussexes’ non-engagement approach. It absolutely works for them. Especially when publications show their hand with worn-out accusations, no fresh takes, and signaling to the public that they are part of an orchestrated vendetta.
Furthermore, the Sussexes’ silence created a space for fans and watchers alike to defend them against the tropes with viral tweets of support and mocking of the attempted smears. This was arguably more effective then any restrained statement of refute.
I think the Sussexes and their team pick their battles based on internal data that we are not privy to. They’ve deemed that some things are not worth the added attention of a comment. In most cases, this only encourages more smears. The recent smears are part of a BRF attempt to deflect from the massive “cancer-free” video misstep, and I don’t blame H&M for refusing to engage.
They are staying above the fray the Windsors are constantly trying to draw them into. They have enough success and earned trust in their work that they can afford to let the haters and the ill -informed wallow in the fake news, and I love that for them.
The story really didn’t land. The British media were hoping for another Spotify or South Park type reaction from the general public but it didn’t happen. As you say the vast majority of people were mocking the NY Post article. Serious outlets are not picking this story up because it is so obviously a hit job and a badly executed one at that. Also why would they go to an Emmy Party on Harry’s 40th birthday weekend. These people are so unserious.
I don’t think everyone cared about south park or spotify. I remember on Twitter William and kates south park episode were shown in excerpts to counter the Sussex episode. Only bots keep bringing it up
They say stupid stuff like this because they still dont get it that Harry and Meghan live two hours plus away from “Hollywood” and they are not going to drive all that way for some industry party just to be “seen”. They dont have to do that because they are ballers already.
You only have to read one page of the many thousands of pages of comments in the British newspapers to know how many people are poisoned by hate and greedily absorb every falsehood to feed the hate. I think such articles need to be met with justice. The only articles that get so many comments and therefore increase advertising revenue are vicious articles about Harry and Meghan
@Tessa South Park was trending in the UK for days and was a topic on many UK tv shows and was picked up by serious press in the UK. Spotify was picked up by serious press in the US and UK and was discussed for days. None of these things have happened this time. The most attention this article has got is people mocking the NY Post and defending Meghan.
Now the dm does fake surveys and achieves the percentages they want
Lavendel you absolutely hit the nail on the head with that one, the hate is horrendous, mainly lies and the DM and DE know it, and often contradict themselves especially the DE but they rely on their readers being elderly and having very short memories.
@Juno: Exactly.
Agreed Juno. They are being advised by what I’m assuming is a pr team with most likely doctorates in psychology. Because it’s the gold standard when dealing with this type of abuse.
Please everyone look up “grey rocking” as well narcissistic abuse.
The absolute best way you can “win” against a narcissist (or narcissistic institution or family) is to give them no attention and no oxygen. No reaction of any kind. Ever.
The second they get any kind of reaction, their clock resets and they go in harder. And after the thing you defended or corrected. They think it’s a “weak spot” and they will exploit it to hurt you.
What you need to do is wait. Even the loyal and adoring fans/ friends/ family will tire of the same angry rants on a decade old perceived slight. Trust me. Then they turn on each other and it’s a blood bath.
I completely agree with you Juno. I think them not pushing back on these hit pieces has worked to their advantage. They have told their truth and are now allowing their silence against the daily barks from the media to prove that the problem has been and continues to be the media. It bothers me when as supporters we continue to repeat the lies being told about them or even try and slip in the possibility that a lie might have some truth because that is exactly what the media wants. They want engagement. They need engagement. They can’t cover up someone else’s actions without putting out a hit piece that gets the Sussex supporters so distracted that what really needs to be seen suddenly is missed. The articles about how they are seen in Hollywood is all lies. We saw with our own eyes them hanging out with A listers at a bookstore, Tyler’s birthday party and Kevin Costner’s annual celebration for the heroes in Montecito.
I feel like I’ve read so many versions about how Hollywood has turned on Harry and Meghan. There’ve been so many turns, who knows what direction we’re even in. But bc it feels like such a rehash, I can’t take it seriously. And I get get that this was the Hollywood Reporter and according to the DM, everyone reads it, which feels like a weird advertisement for the HR, but even if lots of people read it, it still feels like a dry and dusty retread of old stories. Even people who don’t pay that much attention have to feel like they’re having deja vu.
Just because it is a widely read publication in the industry doesn’t mean that people read and take seriously every article. Especially a silly one like this which was a rehash of old talking points with no evidence provided. Maybe Archewell should have done some push back but the story really didn’t land. If Hollywood had taken this story seriously it would have been picked up by serious publications but it wasn’t. It did the rounds of the tabloids. People made fun of NY Post article, with viral tweets supporting Meghan. The story didn’t land with the general public and I’m sure most of Hollywood couldn’t care less about evidence free accusations either.
Yeah, agree and would argue that the article actually hurts the HR’s rep. The details were picked up by the nypost and then mocked by pretty much everyone. The reporting was mocked more than the Sussexes ever were. The only ones mocking them are the usual BM suspects.
It’s like Harry wanting to come back to Britain, every few weeks that is dragged up as well.
For the most part I think WME has done a really good job with the Sussexes comms strategy this year. They seem to be pushing back more and being more proactive with a clear narrative. That said they definitely should’ve done something about that Hollywood Reporter article. I do feel like responding to it would’ve made it worse but with Ari’s power I think they could’ve killed it; he used to be notorious for that kind of thing back in the day.
One of the challenges of pushing back is that it just encourages these garbage outlets to print lies to get them to respond, so they can write another article about the denial. The British tabloids are desperate for H&M to pay attention to them and they are very smart to ignore the Rota 99% of the time, I think.
Agreed. No one is taking this seriously, so it’s not worth the back and forth.
Very true. This is the cycle when it comes to reporting about them. Write an outrageous false story. Gets picked up by right wing tabloids, if they respond you then get multiple articles about that response…outrage because they responded…then attack the publication that they responded through as being pro sussex lol
They probably didn’t feel it was worth the engagement.
Derangers are obsessed about the Hollywood reporter and how it ruined the sussexes. And are going on about how hollywood dislikes them and the usual rambling. Like a broken record
And nobody except them cares so they are best ignored.
This piece was a clear hit job. I think the US MSM didn’t pick it up because it got bitten by running the Archwell didn’t pay its bill story that alleged Archwell was struggling financially. Gov. Gavin Newsom of CA came out and defended the Sussexes and explained it was a clerical error. American MSM looked foolish for running a tabloid story without using their own resources to verify and it ended up with egg on its collective face. The UK media was mad a US governor went on the record and shot down its narrative.
Agreed, no one is taking this seriously, and they did look really stupid rushing to report on a story Governor Newsom reputed on live TV less than 24 hours later.
Tessa I’ve noticed you’re always commenting on what the derangers are saying. Girl I think it’s best to leave them to think what they want. It’s doesn’t matter
I agree. That said I am bothered that Charles and the queen could have put a stop to it ages ago but chose not to.
They used to get nasty stories about Kate pulled, but didn’t bother with Meghan.
We get Hollywood against them them about once a month.
And not a word about Andrew getting angry at his staff over the teddy bears. Charles growling at staff about those pens. Where s the investigation
No one has done an investigation into Harry and Meghan! This article which was full of errors and provided no evidence or details of what Meghan actually did and was not picked up by anyone except tabloids was not an investigation.
While I agree Archewell (not WME) could have done some pushback with this story my main takeaway is people aren’t taking it seriously and it didn’t land with the general public. The trouble with pushing the same talking points over and over again while providing no evidence is that people start not to take your stories seriously. Coupled with the fact that H&M have been seen hanging out casually with A listers recently it makes the general public (l’m not talking about trolls or the British media) not take these stories seriously anymore.
“EVERYONE” does not read the Hollywood Reporter. It’s like the tabloid version of the industry trades.
I have never read it.
Well there you go!
I don’t read thr, and I live in Los Angeles.
Many more people should write books, publications and scientific papers about this type of “press”. Politicians, the health service and the judiciary should get involved. People are treated like inanimate objects so that they can be exploited without conscience. It’s not about people, it’s about making hate objects. This is deeply fascist. Anyone who has followed the Sussexes’ story, who has seen the thousands upon thousands of nasty, damaging, slanderous, untrue articles, will not believe a word these newspapers say. No matter what the subject. And anyone who still believes it’s true belongs to a cult like the Maga people. They are beyond help. No one should have the unregulated power that this media has. This media prevents free speech, a truly free press and diverse opinions. And yes, I agree that the Sussexes along with their lawyers need to stand up and contradict this greedy, bottomless mean and life threatening press.
Agreed. WME is falling down, on the job. What’s the point of hiring big guns, if they don’t protect one from sh-t like this?
Because the message from WME and the Sussexes is that these punches dont land and they only make the Sussexes points about sloppy journalism and misinformation. This has been going on for almost five years. And yet still they rise. Besides, GB News of all places had an article refuting all of this, including the part about Meghan stomping around in heels and being a dictator.
Except that some of them *do* land, at least temporarily. They contribute to the constant noise around the Sussexes.
It’s not WME’s job. Their role is to get deals for Harry and Meghan not PR.
WME could very much defend against this type of industry character assassination, at the very least, by withholding its talent from offending publications. There’s a point to being a power broker, within an industry.
I do think they should’ve counted the Spotify guy but this particular story didn’t really land with anyone. I didn’t think it was worth responding to imo. It seemed like rehashed issue that was pushed back on when it first came out (bullying accusations) and didn’t go into detail about anything. A nothing burger.
Exactly, with the Spotify story people outside the royal news bubble were weighing in critically about Meghan and Harry. With this article the majority of comments from outside the royal news circus were supportive of Meghan. They have run the same story so many times no one cares or believes it anymore.
Once again they attack Meghan I really wish Harry would stop going to the UK, every time it is known in advance they attack Meghan. I imagine these hit piece articles will be ridiculous and absolutely rabid before Harry returns home to California and 99% of them will be vilifying Meghan. My heart breaks for her, but we all know this is WanK behind the scenes orchestrating all of this hate. I don’t know what mystery illness K had/has/never had but it hasn’t stopped her from being a hateful racist.
With William becoming king harry may have to stop going to the UK altogether. Unless William gets therapy and changes it would be
Difficult for harry to go there.
Their attacks against Meghan are daily. Harry doesn’t have to travel to the UK for the media to have reason to attack Meghan. Their attacks are to coverup for what is happening with the other royals. The backlash from that Summer’s Eve advertisement needed to be addressed in the way the royals and their Rota friends know best, throw Harry and/or Meghan under the bus.
I feel like a lot of people don’t realize that anything Meghan means engagement. That’s simply what it comes down to. That’s why politico did that random article on her a year or two ago comparing her with trump and Elon..remember that?
The week before kamala and Meghan were being compared for the attacks against them. HReporter went with the clickbait.
H&M have tons of support..they have some haters too but who doesn’t. They’ll be fine.
Imagine thinking Hollywood hates them and it’s over for them when you have the likes of people who’ve been jailed and committted crimes still working in Hollywood lol. Yeah okay
I still remain fascinated that the judges in these lawsuits never put a gag order on these media entities talking about the subjects they are in litigation against. In this case it’s so obvious old UK talking points were funneled into the THR and amplified by Murdoch’s publications. The DM waded in and picked up the dregs like trying to fan dying embers back into a fire. They are actively trying to reduce the Sussexes revenue stream and rubbish their reputation while trying to browbeat H into settling the lawsuit out of court, it’s plain as day I don’t understand why it’s allowed to go on. This tight circle of the NY Post, Page Six and The Sun, Fox News, are relentless in pushing these negative and false Sussex stories. They should, at least by made to print a disclaimer explaining the conflict of interest/ lawsuit of their parent company.
I think the Sussexes learned with the ‘H lives in a hotel’ story it’s a lost cause making statements to push back on dumb BM. Their statements just prolong the negative talking points. Living well is the best way to counter these pernicious stories.
THR is American and so no UK judge could do anything in any case.
Since it was an anonymous gossip article it is not being taken seriously by anyone. THR has writers who normally put their names to things is they want to be considered legitimate. Besides, Omid Scobie has said more than once that the palaces will send things to the U.S. for articles that are hit jobs. This was clearly one of them because it was a lazy rehash of every UK tabloid story since 2018.
The DM doesn’t know what they’re talking about and I’m sure that they paid the Hollywood Reporter to push out that story. Somebody on tiktok surmised that the piece was probably written by AI and I tend to agree. The British press are very invested in seeing that Harry and Meghan fail and ensuring that Harry crawl back to the UK.
The tabloid industry just doesn’t seem to see that with or without his family, Harry will never return to England. He would rather live in Cleveland ( no offense Cleveland) than go back to that institution and that country’s press.
Harry hates the British media. He will never go back to the UK unless the press is reformed and regulated properly. As that is not happening anytime soon it is unlikely he will ever live in the UK again.
All these hit pieces only landed with Royal watchers & Brits (the racists & ignorant ones), people have other more important things in their lives to caring & worrying about. H&M should continue doing what they feel is best for them.
Archie’s first nanny, who was fired after one day, must have done something really awful, because no RR, BM eve rwrote about it to bash Meghan.
They are always talking about the same old sh*t. There is no current, tangible gossip story about H&M or their work. That is why they are writing the emails over and over again. There are zero leaks from their own team. I don’t fully believe the former employee leaked anything, they just used his name. Was there any solid example of what H&M did? No. It was always general idea about a black woman being a bully. Ari Emanuel from WWE knows the industry. These opinion pieces are organized hit pieces. Harry is suing Murdoch empire apart from other tabloids. Why would you give quotes to people who are intended to malign your character? If you push back using another publication, it will be a bigger story and you are gonna make people read the original article. People who hate Meghan & Harry won’t change their minds anyway.
I feel like only people that are invested like us, or derangers think that these stories actually cause any larger-scale reputational damage. The British media is hoping to use the American Media because they know that they are immediately dismissed when it comes to Harry and Meghan stuff. So they started with Newsweek and the constant ” polls” about how all Americans hated them and how they love William and Kate so much more but it became obvious that they were just trading off of Newsweek’s former status and that they have become basically a tabloid. So now they’re doing the exact same thing with The Hollywood Reporter which has” interesting” ownership as well, and well Politico isn’t called Tiger Beat on the Potomac for nothing. The goal is still the same make everyone in the UK think they have failed and that Harry( it’s always about him) will be back soon, and to poison the well in the U.S. Its still ignored though for the people who do pay attention to pop culture, and I do honestly think and I said this at the time the ESPYs changed the narrative for Harry and Meghan. They aren’t just some empty headed privileged Prince playing at charity and some starlet, they are smart people who do the work.
And HR is now owned by Penske media, which is conservative leaning from what I understand.
All the comments I saw about these smears were supportive of Meghan minus the royalists and reporters. As for pushback there’s nothing you can really do because you can’t sue sources and you might end up giving more life to the story imo, every year the Hollywood reporter commissions a hit piece on the Sussexes probably from someone from the British media and I don’t think it’s gonna affect Meghan in anyway tbh
Boring and tiresome. They are clearly trying the goad the Successes into a response. I simply ignore THR these days. Harry and Meghan have to choose their battles carefully. They can’t respond to every clout-chasing trash. The for me always, is why are British trash still so obsessed with Harry and Meghan? could it be because W&K are such failures?
Boring and tiresome. They clearly are just trying to goad the Successes to roll in the mud with them. I simply ignore THR these days. As for the Daily Fail, my only question is, why are British trash still so obsessed with Harry and Meghan? Is it largely due to the fact that William and his doormat are so mediocre?
There is a response to GB News because they have someone explain how H and M are in Montecito and the main office is in Hollywood so Meghan can’t exactly be walking around everyone. And it mentioned that Meghan has in her email signature that she doesn’t expect a response if the email is not sent during their working hours.
I work in the entertainment industry and read THR (it’s true that everyone in the industry reads it). It is very weird that THR would run such a negative story about H&M. Who has an ax to grind with them? Maybe people are noticing that none of their commercial projects are coming to fruition? Hollywood is a town of non-stop hustle, so the slow-drip approach makes people wonder. To me, it seems like H&M work when they want to and aren’t beholden to a firm schedule especially with young kids. That might be driving industry people (and industry reporters) crazy.
They completed 3 projects with Netflix, one of them broke viewer records. Others (cooking show, the movie they are producing) are in production, Polo doc is about to premier, Netflix announced it already. Hollywood people know the projects take time from shooting to premier. No one is expecting H&M to produce multiple projects each year, except their haters and the tabloids, so they can write hundred articles on them.
This wasn’t a hit piece from industry people. It is a rewrite of the tabloid articles. It is obvious who ordered it.
Bingo. William and Kate have said we’re not doing anything. Harry and Meghan don’t have any leaks, so the only time the press can write about them is when they appear somewhere or release a project. So they want them to release projects every other week and to show up at places all the time because then their endless cycle of picking apart everything that they do can never stop. They pretend that they hate it when Harry and Meghan go on these tours, and on some level I’m sure that they do because it shows what a loss they were, but they also love it because they can write numerous articles from every single angle. If Harry and Meghan had gone to the Emmys parties they would have wrote articles about that. If Harry had a publicized birthday party they would have wrote articles about that, if Meghan would have gone to the event with Harry they would have wrote articles about that ,and her clothes, and how much it costs and whether or not anyone snubbed her, and didn’t take pictures with her. No actual person that’s working in the industry is thinking man they’ve released two books, three documentaries, and are working on two programs that are coming out now, done a podcast, and also had a kid in the past 4 years they’re so lazy.
Written by a Daily Fail or The Sun hack (the different old, detailed bullying stories, originated in the UK, are the tell), and handed over for publication to a US partner, who equally hates H&M and was eager to publish it.
I’m sorry but I refuse to believe that people in the internet and industry reporters are sitting around being ‘’driven crazy’ by Harry and Meghan when there is so much going on in the industry and in the world in general.! Your comment sounds like concern trolling from a royal reporter. Especially when you (apparently) work in an industry where people like Pheobe Waller Bridge signed with Amazion Prime years ago and still hasn’t finished one project!
🎯 and let’s be serious, asking who has an axe to grind with them as a serious question is being disingenuous. The BM that’s getting sued by Harry is one. The RF who is jealous and in an invisible contract with the BM. Hmmm, I wonder🙄.
None of their commercial projects are coming to fruition? Are you one of those whose cousin’s friend works at Netflix?
Tell me which documentary did better than the H&M documentary over the past 2 years? Then H had the IG documentary; they have had 3 successful projects with Netflix so far! Tell me who can be more prolific? Not even the great Shonda can do do project after project….you need ideas! this is not the UK royals where mediocrity thrives….so I highly highly doubt you work in the entertainment industry!
I don’t think you work for the entertainment industry, no one takes THR seriously and even deadline is going into the pits because why would an article on Hollywood turning on the Sussexes be focused on their staff and not actors , execs, producers in the entertainment industry? How many years did Obama wait before producing for Netflix? The actress from flea bag has a deal with Amazon and hasn’t produced anything since then while the Sussexes have produced at least 3 projects for Netflix. I agree with you that someone has an ax to grind but this story is so old and rehashed that no one outside royalist circles are taking it seriously it was probably commissioned by the British press
That person is in no way in the industry, LOL.
People in the industry are not getting their news from a tabloid
In addition to the Netflix projects, remember Harry did the six part series with Oprah for Apple+ (TMYCS), and there’s Meghan’s Archetypes podcasts, 12 roughly one hour episodes originally for Spotify. Considering they’ve only been in the US 4 years, started from ground zero, and already have two more projects coming out in the next 4-6 months, that’s more than impressive. Serious Hollywood insiders know what it takes to get projects off the ground and I doubt are surprised if the Sussexes don’t have things finished yesterday.
On the other hand, after four years in CA, a multitude of completed projects, and obvious engagement on the local scene even if we (thankfully) don’t know about all of it, enough of the “Alisters” and industry power players the HR is so concerned about have probably already met H&M themselves, know people who have, worked with them in some capacity (or live near them!). These repeated hit pieces including “sources” about being shunned by Hollywood have become less and less believable as time has passed.
Remember how Rupert Murdoch owned all the British tabloids? Penske Media owns most of the major US entertainment outlets: Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline, Rolling Stone, and more. Wondering if this may be a trial balloon to see if H&M-bashing gets the same kind of engagement here as in the UK.
Even if they aren’t owned by some right-wing nutjob, some media is still doing “both sides”. If they let a reporter write anything positive about them, they are also publishing some crazy person’s (or a former tabloid journalist) negative opinion piece full with lies, unnamed sources. Remember the one putting Meghan into the same category as Elon Musk, Donald Trump? The publication had to clarify that it was an opinion piece, so they could protect their reputation.
Is all this more of something to distract from the wails failure of video and kate not working for 12 years
Considering the timing, it absolutely feels like someone called in a favor on a vague sussex hit piece in order to distract from the absolute pummeling of the wales’ own video production. They were getting criticism from the people who usually fawn all over them and so desperate measures were needed.
Well if they want their hit pieces to actually make a dent with the public they need to be better written and actually make sense.
COnsidering that virtually everything they say about the Sussexes is pulled right out of their and/or William’s asses anyway, you’d think they’d at least try to make up something NEW.
Exactly, the reason these hit pieces aren’t landing is because they have no evidence, no details and no original content.
Charles and his (cannot say Queen , ) his side piece are going to be doing a tour of Australia. You always get these negative articles about Harry and Meghan when some 30th September and the negative family vibes have started already. In the next week Harry and Meghan will have vile articles in most of the newspapers. Come on people we know the BM are a nest of vipers. Followed closely by Harry royal relatives
This is tabloid fodder and has not been picked up outside tabloid land. Should be ignored.
Why would WME push back on that silly article? It was not even an expose. It was like a 400 word short which was mish mash of insanity from 2018 and 2019. Its beneath them to address this. Not too mention the push back NYPost had received on X had royal reporters crying how nobody takes any of their crap seriously. That story is nothing of significance. A right wing, MAGA lunatic wrote it and it was a commissioned hit piece. THR has had beef with Sussex’s for a while now. They called them all sorts of silly names over the year. Engaging with them won’t fix things. Meghan can’t be canceled over these nonsense. Meghan and Harry know that, WME knows that. Heck, people that commit fraud end up in dancing with the stars, racists end up getting awards, you all still think Daily Mail can cancel Meghan with the same BS from 2019 that nobody takes seriously.
Exactly, Naomi Campbell plead guilty to hitting her assistant with a mobile phone, actual physical assault and is still working. How is Meghan going to be cancelled for vague accusations that don’t even make sense (she works from home, how is she stomping around an office when she works remotely?) and most people don’t believe.
Also, Apperently GBnews ran a rebuttal. I checked and its true, they did. So, it seems Archewell doesn’t have office in Montecito, its based on LA and James Holt runs the show. So, Meghan doesn’t even have the opportunity to run around shouting at people in high heels. And also, apparently Meghan’s emails have auto signature now that says that the emails need only be answered during working hours even if it was received in time which is outside of it. This also made me remember both Harry, Meghan clocked minimum work hours for Archewell in tax return and it became a story last year in UK tabloids. So, that means THR story is horse shit in its entirity. The Sussex’s probably laughed it off.
I’m waiting for someone to do THE expose of the British tabloid press- either in print or in documentary form. Perhaps it will be an Archwell production down the road some time. I’m not familiar with the Hollywood Reporter, but it sounds exactly like a British tabloid piece ala Daily Mail or The Sun. So, did someone order a hit piece on Meghan? Kate and William have been getting mocked in the UK for their latest production. Timing and tone is very suspicious. They must also have a “list” of “sources” that they pull out, since they cite so many in a single article. Is Hollywood Reporter supposed to be an industry paper? Are they supposed to read and report like a British tabloid? Speaking of Emmys, Archewell hasn’t put out a production this year, has it? And it seems Harry and Meghan do not attend entertainment awards shows.
The Emmys was on Harry’s 40th Birthday he was never going to go. H&M rarely go to awards shows unless there is a reason for them being there. People who frequently go to awards shows but aren’t nominated look like desperate clout chasers IMO.
I think one of the main issues with reporting around Harry and Megan is that we have no equivalent for them in America. They aren’t really celebrities because they aren’t actors. I mean sure Megan had some roles, but she wasn’t a household name by any means until she married Harry.
They also aren’t political really, neither has held office or anything of that nature.
There really isn’t a sphere that they fit neatly in within America. They are just wealthy people that do some interesting things on occasion that cross over into entertainment or politics. It doesn’t make sense for them to be invited to every Hollywood event- or for them to go.
I think Harry and Meghan have something very important that connects them to the progressive forces in the US that honor them in reciprocity even if it’s not blatant daily. They have courageously left behind an old world and exclusionary hierarchies and pathogenic structures that publicly made their lives difficult and threatened their health. Like many emigrants, they did not know what would happen next and made great efforts to integrate. They have the courage to denounce injustice and false press, and they are willing to work on many important things to improve the lives of people in a community. What country wouldn’t want such people?
Of course, right-wingers and right-wing extremists don’t want anyone who insists on real freedom – but these population groups are not the majority.
The idiotic thing is the Sussexes are not “Hollywood”. They’ve never chased it, they don’t operate that way, they are the very antithesis of clout-chasing “celebrities”. Sure they turn up at the odd charity event or book-signing, and are working on their own projects privately without running to the Hollywood rags for approval, and that drives them crazy, especially the right-wing leaning ones. Meghan and Harry don’t have to pander to them for media/public attention and the tabloids take this as biting the hand that could feed them. I find it quite hilarious to see the tabloids spew this warmed over bile because it just makes them look foolish and desperate.
Agreed. The British media would be having the time of their lives if Harry and Meghan were Hollywood. Instead, they are just pathetic liars rehashing the same old boring stuff.
lol Damn y’all! Allow me to clarify. Although the THR story ran last December, I was simply wondering why they would run such a negative story about H&M when it’s simply not true. The Sussexes had a lot of successful projects last year. I’ve worked with THR reporters for years and they’ve always been total professionals and excellent journalists. I suppose we could chalk it up to click bait or to the Penske angle? Disappointing nonetheless. Obviously we know why the DM rehashed it here.
Anyway, my point about the slow-drip approach wasn’t a dig. Celebrities “typically” rollout their brands succinctly. H&M seem to prefer a much slower pace with lots of time between projects. To their credit, their fame level means they don’t require a typical brand launch schedule. People will pay attention no matter what. But it does make me wonder where WME is in all of this.
PS: I do not work for Netflix 😅
I am more convinced than ever that you have 0 clue what you are talking about. Hollywood is taking on average 2 years to churn out seasons of tv now. Films take longer. What the heck are you on about? They launched Archewell mid pandemic and its been 4 years with 3 projects, 3 more in production. That’s nowhere near slow. As for THR article, you haven’t read it have you? Because its filled with conspiracy theories from deranger camp. Why would WME waste time on it? Its hurting Meghan’s reputation how? They went all the way back to Sunshihe Sachs….please be serious. For a supposed take down, it was embarrassing piece of writing and it intentionally mixed things up like Meghan’s podcast which has been off air for some time now. Too low rent to be noticed.
Still concern trolling but this time about WME. I agree Archewell could push back more but it would be beneath WME to push back on such a stupid article which even the British media (outside the tabloids) hasn’t picked up on because it so obviously a poorly constructed hit piece.
Its too unserious for a rebuttal. People commenting here need to at least read it from archives. It looks like chat gpt takedown. Comical.
Agreed.
The interesting thing for me is the recycling of ancient news. It only points out that they have nothing.
The sheer stupidity of the bots and trolls is glaring. I mean – still responding to bits you’ve read so many many many times across years? Yikes.
I do hope there is some push back from Archwell at some point but it’s true a narcissist responds with pride to any attention
They have nothing! Bingo you hit the nail on the head. They are recycling old talking points because they have nothing and are desperate for content and to attack H&M. Who have escaped their clutches so they commission hit pieces in the US but the people they commission are too lazy to put any effort into making it credible.
THANK YOU for this!! In my opinion, this reflects WAY more poorly on WME than it does on Harry and Meghan! And, well, let’s be honest: this was an outright attack on Meghan (Harry at least was called “charming”). Why didn’t WME protect them? Why hasn’t there been a response? Ugh. An acquaintance of mine works for WME and says it’s a toxic, abusive agency. They also said that H and M have lapsed in their payments and “don’t like to take advice,” but I’m not actually sure I believe that. This person doesn’t know H and M personally and is just regurgitating tired old lines about them. This whole thing is just gross.
Your friend works at WME but doesn’t know that celebrity clients don’t pay WME for their services? Meghan would never need to give money to WME. They get paid in commission when they land a deal for a client. Your friend is either a liar and a fraud or you are. Also WME doesn’t represent Harry.
WME is not a PR agency. They don’t give that sought if advice they secure brand deals and speaking engagements etc… What advice would they be giving Harry who doesn’t even work with them? You’d think your friend would at least know the basics about the industry she supposedly works in.
Not the payments 😭😭 This comment section truly turned into “My cousin in Trinidad” situation. All the insiders are talking sh-t about H&M, so why can’t the tabloids be able to find one real person they can quote? You would think one person would take the money and put their name on record since apparently everyone is sick of H&M? Very curious. 😂😂
WME work on commission. You don’t pay them fees. You’d think your friend would know that if she worked with them. Their job is to secure Meghan ( not Harry he is not their client) deals. It is not to offer PR advice or correct magazine articles. They might intervene if something was extremely serious (like P Diddy level series) but not for silly stories like this that MSM (apart from tabloids) had completely ignored.
Not your friend who works for WME not understanding what WME actually does and not knowing that they work on commission and don’t take fees or get paid directly from clients 🙂
Why would M pay WME fees, that’s not how management agencies work? They secure deals for clients. That’s it, they don’t protect them from articles in the THR. Any pushback would come from Archewell but since most people don’t take that poorly written article seriously it will be up to H&M whether they push back or ignore as the article didn’t land with the general public. Nobody outside the Royal watching bubble is talking about it..
You gave the game away when you alluded to Harry and Meghan missing payments to WME. Firstly WME doesn’t respect Harry, secondly celebrities don’t pay WME directly for their services. They work on commission so M would never pay them directly they would take a cut of any fees she received from work they commission for her. That would come from the company involved not M. Also they don’t do PR, cleaning up articles etc…Their sole job is to secure deals for her. Anyone working in the industry would know this…Any pushback would have to come from Archewell and they did send a rebuttal to GB News so they have been pushing back somewhat.
*represent Harry ( not respect)
*represent not respect
Call me shocked, I had no idea there were so many Hollywood insiders amongst us.
They are sooo desperate (esp the salty island) to tell anyone who would listen on their lie that the US has no more interest in HM 🤣. When in Reality HM are very successful in the US and outside the UK. While no one GAF about their leftovers esp here in the US or outside the UK. The fact that US donations to their royal foundations are down tells you something. I mean US donations aren’t down overall, my kids school donations this mth has been record breaking 😊.
Update – “school fundraising and donations”
The bar is set so incredibly high for this couple, and so incredibly low for the other royals.
I expect the British media to ramp up the hate and disinformation about Harry and Meghan, especially this week with Harry’s activities in NYC.
On Friday night on the East Coast, Harry attended an event for Santa Barbara’s First Responders. The same as last year.
Meanwhile, “back at the ranch” (KP and BP) the heir to the throne and his family produced a movie eerily similar to, “The Twilight” series, almost frame for frame. The spectator free outing in Scotland was an embarrassment.
The constant hounding, lying and stalking WILL NOT make William, Kate, Camilla, and Charles look any better.
Leave the Sussex’s alone.
I believe the person who wrote the Hollywood Reporter story was a woman who had worked for the Daily Mail-I looked her name up and found that info-she is a plant to write smearing things about the Sussexes and others through the DM sources-journalism at their finest from the Uk-what sadden me isthat they write this shit with a straight face knowing they are lying on people-Hell will be full of these disgusting human beings-May God bless and keep the entire Sussex family safe-God’s speed. It is wise to do research about these animals.
The line between famous and infamous is very thin.
“If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” BRF threw everything to the wall in the hopes that something is gonna stick, to this day there is not one evidence of H&M deserving the hate they are getting except Harry marrying a woman of color while being part of a white supremacist family.
They’re right not to respond. Giving them a response gives them what they want, engagement. Once they think they can engage them, they’ll continue to do the same thing over and over to get them to respond. They’ll also think that they “hit ” on something so they’ll keep poking the bear. The only thing they owe these people, or they should do is to continue to give them silence. Also, you never feed the beast, these people talk about then because it’s all they got, how long is the same story sustainable? People will eventually grow bored of hearing the same thing over and over again only for it to be proved a lie. No response to the Rota is the best way to handle the Rota.