Former Arrow star Stephen Amell made waves online yesterday when his comments about the SAG strike began to circulate online. Amell, currently appearing on the Starz wrestling series Heels, says he supports his union but he does not support striking.
During an appearance at Raleigh’s GalaxyCon, via The Hollywood Reporter, the actor made it clear that he does not support the current actors’ strike that has essentially shuttered Hollywood. Here is what he had to say:
“I feel like I’m insulated in Hollywood because that’s where I live. I feel like a lot of people in this room aren’t aware of the strike. I support my union, I do, and I stand with them but I do not support striking. I don’t. I think it is a reductive negotiating tactic, and I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think that the thinking as it pertains to shows — like this show that I’m on that premiered last night — I think it is myopic, and I stand with my union.”
Amell is one of the more high-profile actors to speak out against the strike. SAG-AFTRA has been striking since July 14 once their contract expired with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Compensation from streaming and A.I. have been the biggest bone of contention which is one shared by WGA, who began striking on May 2. The writers and actors have now formed an alliance on the picket lines in a fight for wages and the best deal possible.
Possibly seeing the firestorm that his comments started, Amell is trying to clarify some of the things he said and is suggesting his words were taken out of context. Per TMZ, Amell maintains that he stands with his union but still doesn’t like the act of striking:
“In full context, I’m an actor and I was speaking extemporaneously for over an hour. I emote, but I certainly don’t think these issues are simple. Our leadership has an incredibly complicated job, and I am grateful for all that they do. Despite some of my terrible early acting work, I assure you, I’m not a robot. From an intellectual perspective, I understand why we are striking, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t emotionally frustrating on many levels for all involved.”
Online reports suggest he was also plugging the second season of his shows Heels while at the Con which would be breaking SAG-AFTRA rules of promoting struck work. Those reports appear to be false but Twitter users have found questionable posts from Amell that were posted on his social media, since deleted, that suggested he has been promoting his show during the strike. There was even another appearance at a Con two days after the strike started that could be viewed as plugging his series. No word as of this writing if he has actually broken any SAG-AFTRA rules by doing this.
Hello! My name is Gaius Bolling: movie, TV, and pop culture junkie! The industry has been in my veins since I was a kid and I have carried that on through adulthood. I attended Los Angeles Film Academy and participated in their screenwriting and editing program. From there, I have learned to hone my skills in the world of entertainment journalism. Some of my favorite genres include horror, action, and drama and I hope to share my love of all of this with you.
