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KIND AT HEART
!eyond "e #ights
WOMAN OF WONDERS IT DOESN’T TAKE LIGHTS OR CAMERA TO GET HER ON ACTION: MEGHAN MARKLE IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT SHOW, AS A WOMAN AND A PROFESSIONAL. BORN AND RAISED IN LOS ANGELES, THE ACTRESS WHO GIVES LIFE TO THE CHARACTER RACHEL ZANE IN USA’S SERIES SUITS, IS EVEN STRONGER AND MORE INTERESTING OUT OF THE STARRY SCRIPT AS IMPOSSIBLE AS IT MAY SOUND. PHOTOS: PEDRO ARIETA
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BLACK BODYSUIT - CUSHNIE ET OCHS NAVY PANTS - CUSHNIE ET OCHS RING - SOLOMEINA EAR CUFF - LADY GREY
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PRINTED TOP - PHILLIP LIM NAVY PANTS - PHILLIP LIM RING - LADY GREY EARRING - LADY GREY
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While double majoring in Theater and International Relations, Meghan worked at the American Embassy in Buenos Aires before devoting herself exclusively to her acting career. Her experience in this South American land seems to have been crucial to her success. “I was only twenty years old when I moved to Buenos Aires - I barely spoke the language, I had never worked at the embassy before, and I had never been to South America! It was the most amazing experience of my life, mostly because I stepped out of my comfort zone and embraced every second of it. Suddenly I was speaking Castellano, making new friends, and learning so much about the culture - and about myself. It was (and still is for me) a great reminder to be brave. It opens the door to the best life experience”, she points out. And it all serves as a lesson to this day, to deal with various situations like the current American political scene, for example, which is on the verge of a presidential election. In this case, the actress ponders reason and emotion for us to introduce a new point of view: “my perception of the current state of political and international affairs has less to do with my degree and much more to do with being a global citizen. I love
my country, and I am saddened and worried by all of the unrest we are living in”, and adds,”I am sensitive to what’s happening all over the world. There’s that poignant Warsan Shire quote: ‘I held an atlas in my lap, ran my fingers across the whole world and whispered ‘where does it hurt?’ It answered ‘everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.’” You don’t need to have studied international relations
“LIVING IN BUENOS AIRES WAS (AND STILL IS FOR ME) A GREAT REMINDER TO BE BRAVE. IT OPENS THE DOOR TO THE BEST LIFE EXPERIENCE” to have that resonate. That’s human. Sure, I can intellectualize it, but that’s a truth I feel deep in my heart”. Her great heart beats beyond the plastic beauty of words and oxygenates goodness in the world. Since Meghan is a former UN advocate for women and currently the Global Ambassador for World Vision, she does not hesitate to
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speak in favor of minorities and poor communities. “I honestly believe that it is our human obligation to give back. It doesn’t matter if it’s a very small act of kindness, but every little bit matters - volunteering at a soup kitchen, standing up when someone is being bullied, just giving someone a hug when they need it. Those are all acts of grace.I have been to Rwanda twice now and appreciate being able to do aid work there, but I think it’s important for people to remember that you don’t have to travel to be of service. There is so much you can do at home as well - so volunteering doesn’t have to seem like such a lofty goal. Just make it a part of your lifestyle”, she says. But ever since she created wings, Meghan does not want to stand still: she wants to see the world and spread her optimism, humility and compassion around. From the places she has visited, she has a special place in her heart for an adventure aboard a trailer across South Island, New Zealand. “It reminds me of my home state of California or of the island of Crete (where I also did a road trip) because you can go from so many different climates and terrains. In New Zealand, it was hiking a glacier one day to winery the next and then a few days later
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“I AM SENSITIVE TO WHAT’S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE WORLD. THERE’S THAT POIGNANT WARSAN SHIRE QUOTE: ‘I HELD AN ATLAS IN MY LAP, RAN MY FINGERS ACROSS THE WHOLE WORLD AND WHISPERED ‘WHERE DOES IT HURT?’ IT ANSWERED ‘EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE.’” BLACK DRESS - EDUN VEST - EDUN RINGS - WWAKE EARRING - LADY GREY
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“I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR HUMAN OBLIGATION TO GIVE BACK. IT DOESN’T MATTER IF IT’S A VERY SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS, BUT EVERY LITTLE BIT MATTERS. VOLUNTEERING DOESN’T HAVE TO SEEM LIKE SUCH A LOFTY GOAL. JUST MAKE IT A PART OF YOUR LIFESTYLE”
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swimming in the open sea with hundreds of dolphins within reach. It was absolute magic,” she recalls. Between one adventure and another, the beauty has found the time for another great passion: gastronomy. Meghan is a devotee of good cooking and does not miss the chance to taste new flavors whenever the opportunity knocks at her door. Her fondness for the classics, however, reveals a mature woman, those who prefer something simple but well done, like a good cacio e pepe pasta or steak frites - two of her favorite dishes. If her appetite is great for food, it is even greater when it comes to her ambitions. “I dream big and bigger! My life is more amazing than I ever thought it could be. I dreamt [of becoming] a successful working actress, which I can now very thankfully tick off the list. And I also dream to have a family. It’s all about balance, and I have so much happiness in my career and am fortunate to travel the world and see so many amazing things - it will also be nice to be anchored to something grounded and in the same place. Raising a family will be a wonderful part of that,” she says. Despite the twinkle in her eyes and the smile on her face, Meghan is not all sunshine and rainbows, as she knows and feels the hard times of life; she just does not lose sight of her privileges, and try to face adversity from a learning perspective. “I think it helps a lot that I am communicative. I address it head on. If I have a concern, I voice it. It’s much easier to have a genuine smile when you are being present and not harboring any resentment or grudges. Another great quote comes to mind: ‘say what you mean and mean what you say because the people that matter won’t mind, and the
people that mind don’t matter.’ Then smile, “ she explains. And you are wrong if you believe that the secure woman that you see on your screen is a mere show business creation: Meghan knew her power and capacity from an early age, and that has not changed with fame - the artist, by the way, neither recognizes herself as “famous”, because, she says,“I still look in the mirror and see the same freckled face I’ve known for 35 years”. To this topic, the Californian beauty adds “my life has changed because my access has changed, and so has the level of privacy in my life, but these are champagne problems because I wouldn’t rather be back to auditioning. And change can be really good - as long as your character is intact. Who you are as a person will only be amplified once you are “famous” so if you had a good heart then, I would imagine you’ll have the same good heart, but the means to do even more with it. Which circles back to the earlier question about giving back and volunteering....boom!”. The explanatory power of the actress can sometimes confuse us: are we facing Meghan or Rachel Zane? Embodying the character for six years, it is natural to think that the two have much in common. “She’s so layered and very emotional. I love her drive and her kindness, but I clearly also love her closet. Just playing dress up with such beautiful pieces of clothing has been like a Cinderella moment every day on set,” she loosens. But even without the clothes, the dresses, and the shoes, Meghan seems to continue living in her own fairy tale -- it may not be perfect because things seldom are, but she sure fights for her happily ever after.
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