Former ESPN host Ryen Russillo recently shared a story about a time he was rejected by Meghan Markle, even though he believed she was “obtainable” at the time. Russillo recounted the encounter on an episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast last week, detailing how he crossed paths with the now-Duchess of Sussex at a celebrity flag football game in February 2014.
Russillo described the event, which featured notable celebrities and Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, as a star-studded affair. “It was all of the [Sports Illustrated] swimsuit models, so nobody was really paying any attention to Markle,” Russillo said, implying that she was overshadowed by others at the event.
Believing Markle might have been feeling overlooked, Russillo saw an opportunity. “I was like, ‘That’s my lane. She’s probably doubting herself a little bit right now,’” he explained. “She’s never been more obtainable.”
The event, according to People, included models Chrissy Teigen, Hannah Davis, and Nina Agdal, alongside Markle, actors Nina Dobrev, and Michael B. Jordan. Although Russillo didn’t approach Markle directly during the event, he later decided to reach out to her in a more professional context.
Recalling the moment, Russillo admitted to sliding into Markle’s DMs to invite her onto his sports program, The Ryen Russillo Show, as part of her promotional tour for Season 4 of Suits, the legal drama in which she starred.
“It was a very soft sell,” Russillo said of his message. “‘Hey, I know the new season … is coming out if you ever want to come on the show to promote it.’ It was really professional.”
Despite his seemingly professional tone, Russillo admitted he had ulterior motives, hoping the interaction could lead to something more personal. However, Markle wasn’t interested. “It was ice cold,” Russillo recalled of her response. “It was, ‘Oh, I don’t know anything about sports, but thanks for the offer.’”
At the time, Markle was best known for her role as Rachel Zane on Suits, a character she played for seven seasons from 2011 to 2018. Markle left the series ahead of her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry at St. George’s Chapel in London.
Following their marriage, Markle and Harry relocated to the UK, where they lived as working members of the royal family before stepping away from their royal duties in early 2020. The couple eventually moved to California, initially staying at Tyler Perry’s Beverly Hills mansion before settling into a $14 million estate in Montecito.
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Now parents to 5-year-old Prince Archie and 3-year-old Princess Lilibet, the Sussexes remain estranged from much of Harry’s royal family in the UK. Reports suggest the couple did not receive an invitation to this year’s royal Christmas gathering at Sandringham.
Russillo’s anecdote offers a lighthearted glimpse into Markle’s life before her transition into royalty, underscoring her focus on her career and her apparent disinterest in distractions—even from an ESPN host.
