Meghan Markle Joins Disney in First Post-Royal Job
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is set to narrate a Disney nature documentary in her first job post-royal exit.
Walt Disney Studios dropped the official Disney+ trailer for Disneynature's Elephant and Dolphin Reef which will be narrated by Black Swan actress Natalie Portman and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.
The trailer marks Markle's return to showbiz after more than three years away. Elephant will be one of a series of animal and nature related features Disney will release in celebration of Earth Month.
The film follows an elephant family crossing the Kalahari Desert in a 1,000-mile adventure. The plot revolves around Shani, an African pachyderm, and her son, Jomo, as their herd is led by Gaia across hundreds of miles through the desert.
The documentary will feature the hardships the elephant herd as they follow the footsteps of their ancestors to reach a lush, green paradise while facing the brutal heat and threats from predators.
The Duchess of Sussex will reportedly receive no pay for her voiceover role on the studio's forthcoming animal feature. The former Suits' star is said to have lent her voice to Disney in return for a donation to a charity of her choice.
The film will reportedly benefit Elephant Without Borders---a charity dedicated to conserving wildlife and protecting elephants from poachers.
The Duchess recorded the voiceover when baby Archie was just seven months old.
Disneynature has previously tapped other A-list celebrities, including Meryl Streep (Wings of Life) and Morgan Freeman (March of the Penguins), for different projects. Profits from said projects also aided organizations supporting conservation of wildlife.
Meghan's role in the docuseries does not come as a surprise to fans. Those who watched a video of the Sussexes attending the premiere of Disney's The Lion King remake in London in 2019 where a controversial clip made rounds.
A clip from the event showed Prince Harry touting Meghan's voiceover skills to Disney CEO Bob Iger while they were all together on the red carpet. The clip also showed the Duchess in a conversation with Beyonce and Jay Z.
The Prince, who is due to step back as senior royal members by the end of March, has concentrated much of his conservation work in Africa where he serves as the president of African Parks and patron of the Rhino Conservation Botswana.
The Duke of Sussex recently visited the continent in October where he and Markle performed an official royal tour. The tour was also the center of the royal couple's documentary "Harry & Meghan: An African Journey" where the actress first opened up about the hardships she had to endure under public scrutiny.
The TV film famously told the interviewer, "It's a lot," when asked how she was holding up.
Disneynature's Elephant and Dolphin Reef is due to come out on the studio's streaming service, Disney+, on April 3. Watch the trailer below: