Now that Meghan Markle is definitely shifting to a more Royal role, the USA Network has confirmed that Katherine Heigl will be joining the cast as Markle's replacement as part of the legal team Pearson Specter Litt. Heigl has told Variety that she has been a fan of the show since it first aired, and she is also excited to work with the cast and production staff that she has always admired.
Along with Markle, cast member Patrick J. Adams (Michael Ross) will also be leaving the show. Markle, engaged to Prince Harry, is set to get married on May 19.
Heigl will be playing the role of Samantha Wheeler, who is said to be a very talented legal partner that likes to challenge the status quo. This strength puts her in the middle of things, with her character being either a great ally of the firm or its worst enemy.
However, fans of "Suits" would have to wait until season 8 until they get to see Heigl as part of the cast, as filming for season 7 has already been wrapped up. No release date for season 8 has been confirmed, though it is highly likely that it will begin during the summer.
Joining Heigl as a new member of the cast is Dulé Hill, who will be playing the character Alex Williams, also an attorney. Hill was last seen on "The West Wing" and "Psych."
"Suits" is set to return after its mid-season break soon, and fans are patiently waiting for the continuation of its intense cliffhanger wherein Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) was seen kissing her boss Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht). The two characters have had an unspoken chemistry for the past seasons, so this could be the time when "Suits" can finally reveal what is in store for them romantically.
The mid-season break ends on Mar. 29 as "Suits" returns to Netflix with the 11th episode of season 7.
