Photos Of Meghan Markle The Actress, Before She Became The Duchess Of Sussex

Before marrying Prince Harry and becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle was an actress in Hollywood. Starting her Tinseltown career in 1995, Markle’s appeared in various films, TV movies, and shows, most notably Suits.

But do people remember what she looked like without Prince Harry on her arm or not wearing a quirky hat? From red carpets to studio sets, here are some photos of Megan Markle during her time in Hollywood.

Her First Real Acting Job Was On General Hospital

ABC

Meghan Markle might have been in front of a professional studio camera for the first time in 1995, in the uncredited role of « Student Sitting on Stage » in the Married…With Children episode « The Undergraduate, » but her first real acting role came years later, in 2002.

That year, she landed the role of nurse Jill on one episode of the wildly popular soap opera General Hospital. It would be another two years before she would land another acting role, as Natasha in Century City.

Teresa Santos On An Episode Of Love Inc.

UPN

The 2005 show Love Inc followed the story of five matchmakers working at a dating agency led by Busy Philipps. Despite its high ratings and solid cult following, the show only lasted one season of 22 episodes. Apparently, a cult following doesn’t qualify as the immense viewership needed to keep a series afloat.

Even so, Meghan Markle was lucky enough to appear in one of those 22 episodes. In the ninth episode titled « One on One, » Markle appears as the character Teresa Santos.

Attending A Film Festival With Her Suits Co-Stars

George Pimentel/WireImage

Meghan Markle landed one of her bigger and most well-known roles in 2011, Rachel Zane, in the drama series Suits. It only took one year for her to get her footing. Then she was off and running, attending the InStyle and Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Toronto International Film Festival Party with some of her co-stars!

In this particular picture, Markle is seen standing between Gabriel Macht and Sarah Rafferty, who play Harvey Specter and Donna Paulsen, respectively, on the hit series.

Looking Like A Queen In A Silver Dress

Jim Spellman/WireImage

As a growing celebrity in her own right, Meghan Markle began attending more and more awards shows when 2015 rolled around. In this particular picture, she is walking the carpet of the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios in New York.

Wearing something that probably wouldn’t fly with the royal family, Markle stunned on the carpet. She wore a silver metallic dress by Misha Nonoo, complete with a deep V, statement pockets, and buttons on the long sleeves.

A 2009 Tostitos Commercial

Greg Brown/YouTube

For those who don’t remember, Meghan Markle was actually in a commercial for Tostitos chips! In 2009, she graced the screen in a short and sweet commercial that definitely had more than one viewer wanting to go out and grab a bag of Tostitos after watching.

The commercial has Markle staring at an unmarked bag of chips with a voiceover saying, « 13 ingredients? That’s more people than I invited to the party… » Of course, she then goes for the Tostitos.

A Briefcase Model On Deal Or No Deal

NBC

One of Meghan Markle’s earliest on-screen roles was actually as herself. For 34 episodes between 2006 and 2007, Markle was cast on the game show Deal or No Deal as « Briefcase Model #11, » « Briefcase Mode #12, » and for a majority of her time on the show, « Briefcase Model #24. »

During an interview with Esquire, Markle spoke of her time on the show, saying, « I went from working in the U.S. Embassy in Argentina to ending up on Deal. Definitely working on Deal or No Deal was a learning experience, and it helped me to understand what I would rather be doing. »

Holly Shepard In Without A Trace

CBS

In 2009, Meghan Markle furthered her acting career, landing a role in the hit TV drama series Without a Trace. The show followed the cases brought to the Missing Persons Unit of the FBI, and people couldn’t get enough of it for seven seasons, a total of 160 episodes.

Markle was lucky to appear in one of those 160 in the episode titled « Chameleon. » In the episode, the team is searching for a missing college student only to learn that he’s an imposter with multiple identities! Markle played a character named Holly Shepard during the episode.

She Played The Role Of Wendy For Two Episodes In 90210

The CW

For two episodes, Meghan Markle stepped into the drama that revolves around and never seems to get away from the students of West Beverly Hills High in the popular soap opera 90210. For two episodes, « We’re Not in Kansas Anymore » and « The Jet Set, » Markle plays a character named Wendy.

Considering at the time, she wasn’t a big name in Hollywood by any stretch of the imagination, being cast in such a hit series was probably a huge deal for the up-and-coming actress.

Junior FBI Agent Amy Jessup In Fringe

Fox

In 2009, Meghan Markle landed a two-episode job on the sci-fi television series Fringe. Following the Fringe Division of the FBI as they use « fringe methods » to solve unexplainable occurrences surrounding a parallel universe. Hey, who wouldn’t want to be part of that show?

Well, Markle was lucky enough to land the role of Junior FBI Agent Amy Jessup for the two episodes « A New Day in the Old Town » and « Night of Desirable Objects. » In them, she helps the Fringe Division solve their crimes.

Deal Or No Deal Was No Treat

NBC

Meghan Markle credits her time on Deal or No Deal as something that made her realize what she didn’t want to do with her life. And that realization came from something very specific — standing on the steps, waiting around for someone to call her number, all while wearing horribly uncomfortable cheap heels.

During an interview with Esquire, Markle said, « I would end up standing up there forever in these terribly uncomfortable and inexpensive five-inch heels just waiting for someone to pick my number so I could go and sit down. » Yikes.

She Was A Hero On CSI: Miami

CBS

In 2010, Meghan Markle showed off her acting chops by playing a true-to-blue hero in one episode of CSI: Miami. During the episode « Backfire, » Markle plays Officer Leah Montoya. Unfortunately, for what happens to her character, she was a police officer and not a firefighter.

During the episode, Officer Montoya rushes into a burning building with no thought other than having to save the child still inside. She suffered from smoke inhalation and wound up having to be saved by the paramedics.

A Bold Cocktail Dress For A « Hot List » Party

Jerod Harris/WireImage

Once again, Meghan Markle is what is called « red carpet goals.. » Even though the carpet for the 2012 TV Guide Magazine’s Annual Hot List Party wasn’t actually the color red, she is still ready for any and all of the photographers lining up alongside it.

For the event, Markle wore a knee-length, form-fitting, strapless cocktail dress with a color-blocked design. The outfit was just the right amount of formal without touching into evening attire territory. She opted to forgo a necklace, favoring nothing more than a simple bracelet and black pumps.

Meghan As Megan In Remember Me

Summit Entertainment

Meghan Markle was lucky enough to act alongside a big-name actor in the 2010 drama Remember Me, Robert Pattinson. Playing a bartender named Megan, Markle has spoken of her time on set with Pattinson and how she felt lucky to work alongside him for her first-ever feature film.

During an interview with The Sun, Markle said, « He’s a really lovely guy and a really great example to be able to watch someone who is young, whose stardom has really taken over his life in such a huge way, and yet he’s still gracious, humble and cool. I think that is really endearing. »