Stephen Amell is doing damage control on the picket lines. After the Arrow alum recently tried to walk back his comments on the SAG-AFTRA strike, having initially said he doesn’t support it, Amell took to the streets of New York over the weekend to join the picketing, according to TVLine. The actor received plenty of backlash from fans and actors alike after his comments went viral, including from some Arrowverse alums.
Coincidentally, Amell took to the picket lines in New York at the same time that many of his Arrow co-stars reunited for an Arrow-themed picket in Los Angeles, with actors and crew joining in. It’s unknown why he didn’t join his former co-stars in Tinsletown, as Katie Cassidy, Willa Holland, Caity Lotz, Katrina Law, and many more were there. It’s possible his comments caused a rift, especially considering that the themed picket was announced not too long after the comments went viral.
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The Heels star didn’t document his time on the picket line, and it’s unknown if he ever will, but at least he joined in on the picketing, even if he didn’t necessarily want to. He did show up and wear the shirt and bring the sign to picket, which is more than what other people are doing, but fans are probably still not forgiving him for what he said, as well as some actors. Whether he will join his Arrow co-stars for another picket in the future is also unknown, but it would be nice to see him with everyone else, even if he is now the target of Oliver Queen’s iconic catchphrase.
Many actors have been taking to the picket lines and/or social media to show their support for the strike and their union in the hopes of getting a fair contract with the studios. Some have also been opening up about the struggles when it comes to being an actor, such as lack of residuals or not having enough expenses to pay for necessities like moving and health insurance. Some big A-listers, though, such as Dwayne Johnson, have been donating to a fund that helps support actors during this time, which is incredible.
As of now, there is no end date in sight for the WGA or SAG-AFTRA strikes, meaning that it could be a while until Hollywood gets back to normal. People should expect more stars, producers, writers, directors, and the like to continue picketing and going on social media. While not everyone may not support the strike, a good majority do, and they are not backing down without a fight.
