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Abigail Spencer Reflects on Suits' Streaming Success: "I'm Way More Famous Now"
Abigail Spencer also spoke about how Meghan Markle helped make the show more popular.
Extended Family star Abigail Spencer recently said she's “way more famous than I had ever been before" thanks to a past show's recent explosion in popularity.
She's crediting her extended fame to record-breaking interest in the legal drama Suits, now the most streamed title of 2023, according to Yahoo. Suits racked up 57.7 billion viewing minutes in 2023, thanks to its availability on Peacock and other streaming sites.
Before her NBC sitcom Extended Family, where Spencer stars alongside Jon Cryer and Donald Faison, the versatile actress was a recurring presence on Suits during its run from 2011 to 2019.
In the USA Network series, set at a Manhattan law office, she played attorney Dana "Scottie" Scott. Her ongoing relationship with the head of firm, Harvey Specter, played by Gabriel Macht, was complicated, to say the least.
Abigail Spencer on Suits' new popularity
When it comes to getting recognized by fans, Spencer says she has experienced a dramatic spike since Suits' streaming began.
“I really felt the shift. Really and truly,” she said on The Jess Cagle Show on Sirius XM. “I’m just so grateful.”
Spencer added that last summer she was in Paris and Spain and was unaware of the streaming impact, so she was taken aback by people recognizing her and name-checking her on the street. Extended Family was still being shot, so she was mystified by the source of her sudden fame.
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“Everywhere I went it was like, ‘Abigail Spencer. Abigail Spencer!’” she said. “And all my friends were like, ‘When did you get so famous?' and I was like, ‘I don’t know.’”
But now, of course, she understands.
Abigail Spencer Talks Meghan Markle Friendship
While happily looking back on Suits, Spencer recalled that she was only set to be in one episode, Entertainment Weekly reported. But the creator kept having her return for more, in an experience Spencer described as “a real delight.”
She has a couple of theories on why it’s been so tightly embraced since it’s been streaming.
"I think it's layered," she said. "I think there's several different things."
Spencer doesn’t discount the Meghan Markle magnetism. Since playing paralegal Rachel Zane on the show, Markle’s marriage to Prince Harry, aka the Duke of Sussex, has made her an international celebrity.
According to Spencer, “Meghan’s loveliness” accounts for some of the spike in interest in Suits.
“[E]veryone is aware of her and her being on the show and going back to that,” she said of her friend.
“It was such a good show and I think also it goes down easy,” Spencer said. “It’s beautiful. I think it also speaks to what people are really wanting to watch and see right now.”
To see more of Spencer, watch Extended Family when it airs Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC. All episodes will be available to stream next day on Peacock.
