Jameela Jamil is opening up about her relationship with Meghan Markle after appearing on the royal’s “Archetypes” podcast in 2022.
The Good Place actress and activist, 39, counts comedian Larry David among her good friends in L.A. after moving there from her native U.K. to pursue her acting career. But in an interview with The Times of London published on Thursday, June 12, Jamil was asked whether she is close to the Duchess of Sussex, who moved to Montecito with her husband, Prince Harry, and their two children in 2020.
“No, of course not. It’s a different planet,” Jamil responded.
“She was kind to me and sent me a message of support when I was going through something very hard. I stood up for her long before I met her — like any woman I see being eaten alive by the media. I wouldn’t qualify us as close friends,” Jamil continued.
During a 2022 appearance on Meghan’s former Spotify podcast “Archetypes,” Jamil recalled how the 43-year-old royal reached out to her during a difficult period in her life. Meghan also handpicked the actress to appear as one of the cover stars for the September 2019 issue of British Vogue, which the royal guest-edited and dedicated to women who were “forces for change.”
“You have been such a sobering voice of unwavering support to me,” Jamil said on the podcast, per People. “And people don’t know that you frequently reach out to women who are having a very, very hard time. You reach out to us. You don’t do it publicly. You don’t come to get any glory, but you privately reach out to us in our most lonely and desperate moments. And we need more of that in the world.”
“And so I just appreciate you and thank you for that, because those are some hairy moments and I needed that guidance. So, thanks. Thanks, mate,” she added at the time.
During her “Archetypes” appearance, the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law actress also defended Meghan from the “unfathomable amount of s*** that you take” in the court of public opinion.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “And I fought back on your behalf of years before I’d ever met you because I was so outraged by the twisting of this, very normal, very kind, very civilized woman. That demonization just shows how afraid they are of you.”
“I’m so sorry you’ve had to withstand it. It has highlighted for us the intense and unkindness and, and bigotry and misogyny of our media,” the body positivity activist added. “And I, I think and I hope and I feel faith that the tides are changing because so many of us are fighting back.”
Elsewhere in their conversation, Meghan and Jamil bonded over having supportive partners. Jamil has been dating British singer James Blake since 2015.
“He understands me, and he’s just an incredible human, an incredible friend. And I don’t think I could have withstood all of this without him. And I know you have a very similar dynamic with Harry,” she said. “And actually, when the four of us met that one time, yeah, it was a, it was a really sweet dynamic, with two very sort of similar relationships. And it was very nice for me to see that you have that in your home.”
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