Actor Theo James set the record straight on rumors that Meghan Markle will join the Netflix action comedy series The Gentlemen for season three.
"No," James told Town & Country in an interview published Sept. 2 regarding Markle's potential casting. "I think that was mainly hot air."
While Markle, Duchess of Sussex and mother to Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, with Prince Harry, will not star opposite James, the Divergent alum joked that another former royal might enter the mix. Referring to Andrew Mountbatton-Windsor's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, James quipped, "Fergie is joining. She’ll be playing my love interest."
James, 41, who portrayed Duke Eddie Halstead in the Netflix series, admitted the show has not thought far past season two, which officially hit the streamer Sept. 3. However, the series has been picked up for another installment.
"At the moment, we’re just trying to get as many eyes on season two," The White Lotus actor explained. "And then season three will happen soon. But in terms of story, we have the overarching ambition of where we’re going to go. We’re going to expand the world, go to different countries."
Addressing Markle's future involvement, James added, "In terms of the minutiae, I mean, it’s still very much up in the air."
Markle previously hedged her acting future, saying, "I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not." Before tying the knot with Harry in 2018, Markle addressed leaving Hollywood in a 2017 BBC interview shortly after leaving Suits following its penultimate season: "I don’t see it as giving anything up; I just see it as a change. For me, once we hit the 100-episode marker, I thought, you know what? I have ticked this box, and I feel really proud of the work I’ve done there."
Though Markle's family left the West Coast for the U.K. for the time being, the status of her return to the screen remains uncertain.
Hollywood Stars Relocating Abroad
After suffering a near-fatal heart attack in 2019, The Mask of Zorro actor Antonio Banderas moved back to his native Málaga, Spain, to focus on theater. "It changed the way I look at life," Banderas told The Times in March 2026. "Faced with death, it made me look back and realise that I am, in fact, a theater actor." The Tony nominee, who still occasionally takes on TV and film projects, owns a local theater venue and added, "I have never been so happy. It keeps me in touch with my roots, my neighbourhood, my people. I haven’t lost that connection over the years. Quite the opposite."
Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi moved to the Cotswolds in November 2024, staying put following Donald Trump's reelection, as DeGeneres told Richard Bacon in July 2025 at the Everyman theater in Cheltenham. The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended in 2022 after a 19-season run amid toxic work environment allegations, an internal investigation, executive firings, and public ire. During her final Netflix standup special For Your Approval in September 2024, DeGeneres announced on tour, "This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done." She praised English countryside life to the BBC, noting, "It's clean. Everything here is just better: the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here." She added that Portia flew her horses over, while she keeps chickens and kept sheep for two weeks.
Tyra Banks relocated to Australia to oversee her ice cream company, SMiZE and Dream. "We've been more what we call B2B, like on an airplane and on cruises," the America's Next Top Model host explained on Today with Jenna & Friends in April 2025. Noting that America, New Zealand, and Australia consume the most ice cream, the supermodel moved to Australia with her son York, whose father is ex Erik Asla, and boyfriend Louis Bélanger-Martin, calling it "a dream come true."
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria left Los Angeles for Mexico and Spain with her husband José Bastón and son Santiago. Longoria told Marie Claire in November 2024 that California felt like a closed chapter due to changing vibes, taxes, and homelessness. On The View: Behind the Table podcast, the Flamin' Hot director clarified her move was work-related from filming Land of Women in Catalonia and Searching for Mexico, rather than political. The Only Murders in the Building actress continues acting in projects including Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip.
Actor Richard Gere relocated to Madrid, Spain, with his Spanish wife Alejandra Silva and their young sons Alexander and James. "My wife is Spanish, and she gave me about seven years here," the Chicago star said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in November 2024. Gere, who also has an adult son Homer with ex Carey Lowell, told Elle España in January 2025 that the family is "happier than ever."
Singer Christina Milian moved to Paris with her husband, singer Matt Pokora, so her children could study in France. Milian, who shares daughter Violet with ex-husband The-Dream and sons Isaiah and Kenna with Pokora, told The Jennifer Hudson Show in November 2024 that they previously commuted every six months. The Dexter: Original Sin actress told E! in December 2024 that she maintains a healthy balance working hours ahead at night.
Lindsay Lohan relocated abroad to London and then Dubai, where she lives with husband Bader Shammas and son Luai. The Parent Trap and Mean Girls alum told Bustle in March 2024 that she wanted to disappear after her early work was overshadowed by paparazzi. The Freaky Friday actress, who opened beach clubs in Greece, has returned for films including Our Little Secret, Irish Wish, and Freakier Friday.
Josh Hartnett moved to England's Hampshire countryside with his wife Tamsin Egerton and their four children. The Black Hawk Down actor told People in July 2024 that he wanted to avoid a single-note life centered on the movie business. The Black Mirror star, who recently appeared in Verity, Fight or Flight, and Trap, told The Guardian that focusing on family means "more of the important stuff is happening."
Rosie O'Donnell revealed on TikTok that she moved to Ireland in January 2025 with her youngest child Clay and is seeking Irish citizenship. The Flintstones star cited American political developments for leaving, stating she will consider returning when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights.
Leaving Hollywood for New Professions
Jesse Eisenberg has lived in Indiana on and off for the past decade with his wife Anna Strout and son Banner. The Oscar nominee and A Real Pain star told CBS News Sunday Morning in February 2025 that he avoids surrounding himself with an unstable industry, stays off social media, and keeps his life separate.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bring It On actress Eliza Dushku Palandjian revealed in September 2024 that she became certified in psychedelic-assisted therapy. She told Boston Magazine that focusing on healing herself and others is her real calling and purpose.
Ian Somerhalder stepped away from acting four years ago following Netflix's 2019 series V-Wars to focus on climate change and regenerative farming. The Vampire Diaries alum, who shares two children with wife Nikki Reed, launched the documentaries Kiss the Ground in 2020 and Common Ground, telling E! News in November 2023 that he is dedicated to becoming a rancher and building wellness brands.
Former iCarly star Jennette McCurdy quit acting to focus on writing, directing, and her podcast Empty Inside. Speaking to Anna Faris in February 2021 and detailing her experience in her 2022 memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, McCurdy confessed she felt unfulfilled and embarrassed by her early roles. She told E! News in October 2022 she might only return if she writes a role for herself.
Portia de Rossi retired from acting at age 45 to launch consumer-art company General Public. The Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, and Scandal star called Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz to step down, though he wrote her into five final season episodes before she left the industry.
Bridgit Mendler stepped back from entertainment in 2018 to earn a master's degree and PhD from MIT, alongside studies at Harvard Law School. The Good Luck Charlie alum launched satellite station startup Northwood Space, becoming its CEO in February 2023.
Stepping Away for Family and Quiet Lives
Elisha Cuthbert took a four-year break from acting to raise two children with husband Dion Phaneuf before joining Prime Video's Every Year After. The Girl Next Door, Old School, 24, and Happy Endings actress told Today in June 2026 that she wanted to be home with her children without set distractions.
Fire Country, Numb3rs, and Rescue Me actress Diane Farr sold her Los Angeles home after 30 years in July 2026. Farr announced on Instagram that she was moving away from Hollywood to start a third chapter after raising her children in L.A.
Ant-Man and the Wasp star Evangeline Lilly announced an indefinite hiatus from acting in June 2024 after 20 years in the industry. Lilly wrote on Instagram that stepping into her dharma replaced fear with fulfillment, though she noted she might return one day.
Phoebe Cates retired from acting to raise children Owen and Frankie Cosmos with husband Kevin Kline, whom she married in 1989. The Fast Times at Ridgemont High star made a brief cameo in 2001's The Anniversary Party and now operates New York City boutique Blue Tree.
Rick Moranis stepped away from filmmaking after his wife died of breast cancer in 1991 to raise his children Rachel and Mitchell. The Ghostbusters and Honey, I... star had no live-action roles after 1997, but is set to return alongside Josh Gad in Disney's reboot Shrunk.
Leelee Sobieski retired from acting after marrying fashion designer Adam Kimmel in 2010 and having children Louisanna and Martin. The Never Been Kissed star told Vogue she disliked filmed intimacy and confirmed to Us Weekly in 2016 that she now paints and assists Kimmel's business.
Surprise Returns and Second Acts
Cameron Diaz returned to acting for the 2025 Netflix film Back in Action alongside Jamie Foxx after taking a break following 2014's Annie. The Mask star had stepped away to write books like The Body Book and The Longevity Book and raise a family with husband Benji Madden.
Empire star Terrence Howard announced plans to quit acting in 2019 and 2022 while promoting The Best Man: The Final Chapters. Despite saying he was done pretending, the Oscar nominee subsequently appeared in Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist and the Netflix film Shirley.
Jack Gleeson returned to acting in the 2020 BBC series Out of Her Mind after a six-year break following his role as King Joffrey in Game of Thrones. The actor, who quit at age 21, has since appeared in films including Rebecca's Boyfriend and In the Land of Saints and Sinners, as well as TV shows Safe Harbor and The Famous Five.
Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis announced his retirement following 2017's Phantom Thread. However, Focus Features announced in October 2024 that he will return to star in the 2025 film Anemone, which he co-wrote with his son Ronan Day-Lewis.
Meghan Markle previously left Toronto and her breakout role on Suits to join the royal family after marrying Prince Harry. After stepping down from senior royal roles, Markle relocated to Montecito, California, signing a Netflix deal that produced her 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan and 2025 lifestyle show With Love, Meghan.
