Jeremy Zimmer, the chief executive officer of United Talent Agency, has sparked a debate after criticising Meghan Markle’s “talent” following the end of her $20m deal with Spotify.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s multi-year deal with Spotify was ditched after just one series of Meghan Markle’s podcast, Archetypes, it was announced on 15 June. Now, the CEO of one of Hollywood’s top talent agencies has faulted the duchess in a new interview with Semafor.
“Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,” Zimmer said, when asked about the termination of her Spotify deal at the 2023 Cannes Lions festival. “And, you know, just because you’re famous doesn’t make you great at something.”
The end of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s partnership with Spotify was confirmed in a statement from Archewell Audio, the Sussexes’ content creation label. “Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together,” the statement read.
It was reported that the couple did not meet “the productivity benchmarks required to receive the full payout” agreed in their $20m deal. According to The Wall Street Journal, Harry and Meghan’s “inexperience as producers” impacted their business forays into podcast production.
The publication also cited employees and associates of Archewell, the couple’s foundation, as saying that the company “lacks direction” and that the Sussexes’ team “at times seem surprised by the work required to finish entertainment projects”.
However, a spokesperson for Archewell told the WSJ: “New companies often make changes in their startup phase, both with people and strategy, and we are no exception. We’re more equipped, focused and energised than ever before.”
United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer’s comments come after the Duchess of Sussex signed with competing talent agency, WME, which represents some of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Rihanna, Dwayne Johnson, and Matt Damon. In April, Variety reported that she will be repped by Ari Emanuel, who has worked with celebrities like Mark Wahlberg, Martin Scorsese, and Charlize Theron. Meghan’s focus will reportedly be film and television production and brand partnerships, as opposed to acting.
The response to Zimmer’s comments was divided, with some accusing the talent agency executive of being “highly unprofessional” with his attack on the Duchess of Sussex.
“Highly unprofessional and bad for his business,” one person tweeted, while another claimed Zimmer is “bitter” that Meghan did not sign with UTA.
An unnamed top agent from a UTA competitor who spoke to Variety also condemned Zimmer’s comments, calling them a “shocking display of bad taste”. “Who wants to sign with someone who trashes people like that in public?” they added.
Following the news that the Sussexes’ partnership with Spotify had ended, leading executive Bill Simmons criticised the pair on his own podcast, The Ringer, and branded them “f***ing grifters”.
He added: “I gotta get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.”
Harry and Meghan also signed a $100m deal with Netflix in September 2020, though sources claimed that the streaming platform was “unlikely to renew” the contract when it runs out in 2025. At the time, it was understood the couple would make TV series, films and children’s shows for the streaming platform, but three years later, they have only produced their six-part docuseries Harry & Meghan, which premiered at the end of 2022. It was reported that the Sussexes hoped to make an animated children’s show titled Pearl, but it was cancelled by Netflix, as were two other TV ideas that were rejected in the past year.
Sources close to the streaming giants allegedly said that both Netflix and Spotify “have been underwhelmed by the lack of productivity by the Sussexes”. However, a Netflix spokesperson told the WSJ that it valued the partnership with Archewell and that Harry & Meghan was Netflix’s biggest documentary debut. “We’ll continue to work together on a number of projects,” they said.
In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their roles as senior working royals and relocated their family to Montecito, California, where they currently reside. That same year, the couple signed the three-year deal with Spotify worth $20m to host and produce podcasts.
Meghan’s podcast Archetypes, which ran for 12 episodes beginning August 2022, saw the mother of two speak to celebrities, historians and experts about the stereotypes levelled against women. Tennis star Serena Williams, singer Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton, and actors Mindy Kaling and Constance Wu were among the guests who appeared during its first and only season.
Despite beating out Joe Rogan for the Number One spot on Spotify’s US podcast rankings when it premiered, Archetypes has not been renewed for a second series.
The Independent has contacted a representative for the Sussexes and a representative for United Talent Agency for comment.
