Meghan Markle’s mentor Bonnie Hammer has revealed details of what the Suits star really looked like behind the scenes of her hit show.
Speaking to DailyMail.com about her best-selling book, 15 Lies Women Are Told At Work:…And the Truth We Need To Succeed, the 74-year-old NBCUniversal vice chairman revealed that then-‘junior’ cast member Meghan tried her best ‘ during the rehearsals of the legal drama and always asked for help.
The actress, who is now married to Prince Harry and known as the Duchess of Sussex, starred in the USA Network series from 2011 to 2018.
While sharing the uncomfortable truths that women with a nine-to-five lifestyle need to hear to succeed, Bonnie, known as the “Queen of Cable,” also shed light on the secrets she passed on to her mentee, which helped make the Duchess, 42, the star she is today.
Meghan Markle’s mentor Bonnie Hammer has revealed details of what the Suits star really looked like behind the scenes of her hit show (seen with Meghan in 2015)
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Bonnie revealed that then ‘junior’ cast member Meghan tried her hardest during rehearsals and always asked for help
After seeing Meghan’s “incredible” valuable ethics as she worked tirelessly to become the face of the legal drama, Bonnie took her under her wing.
She recalled that the Suits star was constantly willing to learn and always wanted more.
The 74-year-old vice chairman of NBCUniversal is the author of the bestselling book, 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work:… And The Truth We Need To Succeed
“Megan was incredible. When she worked on Suits and Our Family, she got help and was willing to ask questions,” the mentor enthusiastically told DailyMail.com.
“She was great on staff, but she wasn’t afraid to raise her hand and say, ‘Can you explain? Can you help me with something if I want to be more than just a young star?’
And while Bonnie admitted that Meghan was a “junior” person, she was “great.”
“It wasn’t really an ensemble cast. She was one of the younger people on the show and she grew to be part of the ensemble because she worked her butt off. She tried her best, asked questions and had a can-do attitude,” the business mogul told DailyMail.com.
“She was very strong and she was great on the show, and again she absorbed what I said. I think she took in everything that everyone told her that she thought would help her performance or help her do well in that situation. So I give her a lot of credit for that.”
In addition to Suits, Meghan also had a brief stint on Deal Or No Deal and 90210. In 2014, she also started her own blog, known as The Tig, where she shared various aspects of her life that inspired her.
After seeing Meghan’s ‘incredible’ work ethic as she worked tirelessly to become the face of the legal drama, Bonnie took her under her wing (Suits cast seen)
She recalled that the Suits star was constantly willing to learn and always wanted more (Bonnie appeared on the hit show alongside Meghan and other women in 2014)
She then tied the knot with the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, in 2018.
After her wedding, Meghan quickly found herself in troubled waters as tensions arose with the Royals.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex exposed explosive allegations against the royal family in their $100 million docuseries Harry & Meghan with streaming giant Netflix in December 2022.
Directed by Liz Garbus, Meghan & Harry was the first project to emerge from the multi-year deal the couple signed with the streaming giant in 2020, shortly after announcing they would be stepping down as working members of the royal family.
Meghan and Harry used their $100 million deal with the streaming giant to target the royal family and Britain in shows described as transatlantic “TV bombs” hurled at The Firm.
The privacy-conscious couple handed over a trove of photos and videos from their relationship, including the moment Harry proposed in 2017 and filmed himself in the VIP lounge at Heathrow as he emigrated in March 2020.
Although Bonnie admitted that Meghan was a ‘junior’ person, she was ‘amazing’ (L-R: Daniel Bryan, Brie Bella, Meghan, Bonnie Hammer, Big Show and Mark Feuerstein in 2015)
In addition to Suits, Meghan also had a brief stint on Deal or No Deal and 90210 before tying the knot with Prince Harry (seen in 2023)
However, it appears Meghan has taken Bonnie’s advice as a mentor and made it to the other side, as she now prepares to launch a new cooking and lifestyle company, American Riviera Orchard (Meghan and Bonnie were featured in 2015 alongside Gina Torres and Sarah Rafferty)
The first three episodes contain a series of barbs believed to have upset his father, King Charles III, including Harry’s claim that he was “literally raised” by a “second family” in Africa, where he chose to spend three spend months in prison. his late teens and twenties when he came to terms with his mother’s death.
However, it appears that Meghan has taken Bonnie’s advice as a mentor and made it to the other side, as she now prepares to launch a new cooking and lifestyle company, American Riviera Orchard.
Bonnie also became a mentor to Today Show co-host Hoda Kotb.
She labeled Hoda as “one of the most genuine, authentic, hardworking, open and honest people I have interacted with in this industry.”
Both Meghan and Hoda left male-dominated fields and stood out from the men in suits to become role models of the business world.
The TV manager explained that in the first seven seconds of meeting someone, they had already made up their minds about what they thought about you.
Bonnie also became a mentor to Today Show co-host Hoda Kotb. She labeled Hoda as “one of the most genuine, authentic, hardworking, open and honest people I have dealt with in this industry.”
Bonnie’s book 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: …And the Truth We Need To Succeed is on sale now (cable mogul seen in 2006)
And while Bonnie emphasized that it wasn’t about beauty or style, she did note that you have to do your best to look “put together.”
At the end of her book, Bonnie suggests that both women and men are beginning to embrace change.
Her biggest advice for those uncomfortable with changing circumstances is to embrace it and accept that it’s happening.
‘You can’t stop it. It’s going to happen whether you want it to or not. So waste time worrying about it, trying to stop it, pretending it doesn’t exist. It’s just a shame because it will be there. So the best advice is to find a way to embrace it,” she added.
Bonnie’s book 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: …and the truth we need to succeed is now for sale.
