Now five episodes into her podcast series Archetypes, Meghan Markle surprises fans every segment with candid conversations that break down and reflect on the common stereotypes and misconceptions women face. In the show’s most recent episode, Markle interviewed none other than hotel heiress Paris Hilton and their honest conversation was quite inspiring.
In a new interview with Variety, Markle spoke about her podcast and why interviewing Hilton was actually quite daunting. “I told her at the beginning that I was the most nervous about her interview,” Markle recalled. “I was embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve had a judgment about her that’s based on everything I’ve seen, and I don’t like to come from a place of judgment.”
Markle, who graduated with a double major in international relations and theatre from Northwestern University, said she “didn’t grow up pretty” and was “the smart one.”
A post shared by Paris Hilton (@parishilton)
“So much of what I ended up thinking about, when I thought about Paris, was envy and judgment — two of the most dangerous things,” she confessed. “But then you hear about her trauma and her life and her buying into this persona. Ultimately, I told her, ‘I’m really sorry that I judged you.’ I wanted her to be safe and comfortable.”
Markle added, “I told her I wasn’t looking for a ‘gotcha’ moment. I want a ‘got you’ moment.”
Markle added that the episode, like all the others, isn’t to defend women against the common archetypes, but it’s to humanize them. “I don’t care what situation you’re in — if a 16-year-old boy or girl, or a woman in the workplace, feels objectified or dehumanized because their character is misrepresented, I hope everyone listening with an open mind could come away thinking, ‘Could I just actually consider for a second that there’s a person there?'” Markle explained.
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“I’ve done a lot of internal work and whether you’re exercising or meditating, you’re sometimes asked to picture a person that makes you angry,” she remembered. “You think about them, you get it all out, and then you’re asked to think about them as a 6-year-old child. Can you forgive them? That’s how I contextually approach that.”
In short, Markle changed her perspective on Hilton during their unfiltered, candid conversation. As the two got to know each other, the more they understood each other and let go of previous “envy and judgment.” Who knew Archetypes would fulfill its purpose for the audience and the host herself?
Before you go, click here to see Meghan Markle’s best fashion moments as a royal.
