Suits stars Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle leaving after season 7: report

Suits‘ main power couple might be preparing their closing arguments.

Stars Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle are expected to leave USA Network’s long-running legal drama when their contracts are up at the end of season 7, both Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter report. If the series is renewed for an eighth season — which the trades say is likely — it will be without Adams and Markle, who play on-screen lawyer couple Mike Ross and Rachel Zane.

Reps for Adams and the network declined to comment on the report; however, a source tells EW that discussions are still ongoing.

Both Adams and Markle have been with the series since it premiered in 2011. Over the past six years, Adams has not only received a SAG Award nomination for portraying the fake lawyer-turned-real lawyer, but he has also directed four of the show’s episodes, including the 100th one, which aired in September. According to THR, there’s a chance that, should he exit, Adams could return in a limited capacity, either as a guest or recurring star, or director. If Adams and Markle end up exiting, that’ll leave original series regulars Gabriel Macht, Rick Hoffman, and Sarah Rafferty to hold down the fort.

Adams and Markle aren’t the first regulars to leave Suits. In 2016, original cast member Gina Torres left the series; however, she returned as a guest star multiple times in season 6 and is expected to headline her own spin-off series. The spin-off will be launched by Suits’ season 7 finale, which is also functioning as a backdoor pilot.

Suits is expected to return in 2018.