Katherine Heigl Will Replace Meghan Markle As Lead Actress In Suits

Here are all the details of her new role

Katherine Heigl is joining Suits as a series regular in the legal drama’s eighth season, USA announced Wednesday.

The 39-year old actress will replace Meghan Markle as the lead actress. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Emmy-winning Grey’s Anatomy star has been cast as Pearson Specter Litt’s newest partner Samantha Wheeler.

“Joining Suits was the perfect organic way to not only collaborate with [writer Aaron Korsh, who] I admire deeply, but to also become part of a show and cast that I am an immense fan of,” says Heigl in a statement. “I have watched Suits from the very beginning and feel incredibly lucky to be the newest member of the Pearson Specter Litt family.”

Suits creator and showrunner Aaron Korsh said of Heigl’s casting: “On behalf of the entire Suits team, I am extraordinarily excited to welcome Katherine Heigl into our family—I have always been a big fan of her work and was delighted to discover she was an avid Suits fan herself. I cannot wait to have her come play with our entire cast and crew. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Harvey, Louis, Donna and Alex as the mysterious Samantha Wheeler is a direct threat to their status quo. One thing is for sure—Samantha’s wit, charm, loyalty, strength and vulnerability will all be put to the test as she muscles her way into the firm currently known as Pearson Specter Litt.”

Suits returns for the back-half of its seventh season next month on Netflix. Season eight will follow in 2019.