Highlights
- Arrow star Stephen Amell was seen on the picket line in New York after making and retracting controversial comments about the SAG-AFTRA strike.
- Amell's presence at the picket line aligns with his statement of support for his union and his desire to celebrate the show he dedicated himself to.
- Some speculate that Amell's actions may have been coerced, raising concerns about the potential silencing of union members.
Arrow star Stephen Amell was spotted on the front lines of the picketing outside Hollywood studios after making and walking back some controversial statements concerning the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Arrow debuted on The CW in 2012, quickly amassing popularity and birthing the Arrowverse franchise of interconnected shows and crossovers, all based on characters and story beats originating from DC Comics. The show centered on the titular character and his alter ego Oliver Queen, a socialite who turns vigilante after a life-changing experience marooned on a deserted island. The show ended in 2020 to generally positive fanfare, with lead star Amell expressing interest in returning for a darker take on Green Arrow.
Amell has seen a lot of success during and after his run on Arrow, most notably in the wrestling drama Heels. However, the star has most recently been in the spotlight after being spotted at the front lines of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. As reported by Variety, Amell was photographed on the picket line in New York City. Conversely, his fellow Arrow alumni, including actors Kirk Acevedo, Katie Cassidy, Juliana Harkavy, and executive producers Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle, reunited on the picket line at Burbank.
Amell's presence at the picket line is one that many saw coming after the Arrow actor seemingly came out against the Actors Guild strike with comments he quickly walked back after a ton of backlash from online commenters and other SAG-AFTRA members who he saw as misconstruing his remarks. “I’m simply sad that we don’t have a chance to celebrate a show that all of us figuratively, and I literally, broke my back for… At least for the foreseeable future, I choose to stand with my union,” the actor explained. “When you see me on a picket line, please don’t whip any hard fruit.”
True to his word, Amell was on the picket line, photographed fruit-remains-free thanks to the grace of the online community and his fellow actors. Putting his money where his mouth is will likely end the discussion surrounding Amell, an otherwise well-liked actor. His actions could be a blueprint for Zachary Levi, another DC actor who got caught complaining about the SAG-AFTRA Strike. After similarly making relatively more critical comments concerning the strike action at a fan event (including describing the SAG-AFTRA strike action as dumb) and walking them back, Levi has yet to make any similar good-faith gesture to show his solidarity.
Amell's actions seem to show where his loyalties lie as the double strike by the actors and writers guild carries on with no positive news. However, some online have commented, in gest or sincerely, that Amell's overt turn on the issue might have been coerced. With the unions having previously run into some controversy, including SAG-AFTRA striking a new deal despite actor in-fighting in the past, the idea of a hard-working union member being silenced in any way might worry some.
Arrow is available for streaming on The CW and Netflix.
Source: Variety