Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos Honors the Meghan Markle Effect as “otherworldly” Amid Rumors of Uncertain Million-Dollar Deal

Published 09/22/2024, 4:24 AM EDT

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Meghan Markle has been swimming in a sea of controversies for what feels like forever, and the drama around the Sussexes is so intense, it is like everything they touch turns thorny instead of rosy. One would think royal status would come with red carpet rollouts everywhere, but for the Duke and the Duchess, the road has been anything but smooth despite that jaw-dropping $100 million Netflix deal. And just when the rumor mill has been all about whether that deal is even happening, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos throws in some positive vibes about the Meghan Markle effect. 

Sure, Sarandos’ praise challenges the endless gossip from so-called experts, but it also leaves a bigger question: is that Netflix deal really moving forward?

Ted Sarandos gives his two cents on the Meghan Markle phenomenon

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s tweaks to their $100 million Netflix deal had the expert squad in a frenzy, with some calling it a flop in the making and others betting it will crash and burn by next year. But Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos swoops in with major compliments for the Duchess, throwing shade on all that expert chatter. In a recent conversation with The Sunday Times, he even called her audience influence downright "otherworldly," leaving the critics in a daze.

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“I’ve been out with a lot of famous people before–the way that people react to Meghan is otherworldly,” Sarandos said. While he did not give out any specific details or updates about the Sussexes’ Netflix deal, the fact that he casually dropped Markle’s name with zero bad vibes definitely throws a question mark on the experts’ theory that the deal is hanging by a thread. 

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Plus, if fans take a peek at the streamers' statement from last year, it paints a totally different picture.

Netflix’s stance on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s million-dollar deal

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Despite the critics slamming Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Netflix comeback, their partnership is still going strong. Their first series, handpicked by Markle, is all about cooking, gardening, and friendship, while the second is set to give an inside look at the world of professional polo—Prince Harry’s true passion. Netflix declared in 2023, “We value our partnership with Archewell Productions,” brushing off the noise from their Spotify split. 

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Considering the Harry & Meghan docuseries shattered records, racking up a whopping 81.55 million hours in its debut week, the statement was not without reason. With Ted Sarandos also singing the Duchess's praises, it naturally makes one wonder: do the critics really have a reason to think the Sussexes’ Netflix era is ending, or are they warming themselves by the Sussex fire?

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What do you think of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos' insight on the Meghan Markle effect? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

1282 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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