Robert Carlyle is reportedly joining the cast of Netflix’s hit crime drama The Gentlemen for its third season, bringing the BAFTA-winning Scottish actor into Guy Ritchie’s world of crime and wealthy criminals. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle is said to be no longer in contention for a role in the upcoming season despite earlier speculation about her possible acting return.

Carlyle will appear alongside returning stars Theo James and Vinnie Jones. The actor is best known to many fans for playing the violent Begbie in the 1996 film Trainspotting, a role that helped establish his reputation as one of Britain’s most memorable screen performers.

A source told the publication that the series continues to attract major talent, with the cast and production team eager to build on the show’s success. “Robert is an industry icon and Theo himself made it clear he wanted him to be part of the show,” the insider said.

James had previously expressed interest in working with Carlyle, revealing that he wanted to see a psychopathic character played by the Scottish star appear in the series. “In terms of people I would like to see on the show, I would like someone psychopathic like old-school Robbie Carlyle,” James said.

However, Meghan Markle reportedly will not be joining the cast. According to the same source, a meeting took place about the possibility, but the decision was made not to include her in the third season. The report follows months of speculation about whether the Duchess of Sussex might return to acting through the Netflix production.

Vinnie Jones had previously questioned the idea of Meghan appearing in the show. He suggested the possibility was no longer being considered and described the idea of casting her in a sex scene as a particularly poor fit.

While Meghan’s involvement appears to have been ruled out, another familiar face is expected to return. Maya Jama, who plays fixer Aisha, is reportedly coming back for season three with a larger role than her limited appearance in the second season.

The Gentlemen debuted on Netflix in 2024 and quickly became a major hit for the streaming platform. The first season also starred Ray Winstone, Joely Richardson and Kaya Scodelario alongside James and Jones. The series reportedly accumulated more than 75 million streams, while its second season recorded 22 million streams during its first three weeks of release.

With Carlyle reportedly joining the cast and Jama set for a bigger part, the third season could bring fresh energy to the crime drama. Netflix has yet to officially confirm the reported casting details, so fans will have to wait for further announcements to learn more about the upcoming season.