Stephen Amell, star of The CW’s Arrow revealed he was sick while filming the first few episodes of season 2. The series recently concluded its impressive eight-season run with a final ten episodes. Arrow brought back several familiar faces for its final episode, including Tommy Merlyn, Moira Queen, and Felicity Smoak. The final season also served as a prolonged goodbye, paying homage to many storylines and characters from throughout the show’s run. Though Arrow is now complete, it leaves behind the Arrowverse, currently made up of The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman.
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Arrow‘s series finale was different in that its hero, Oliver Queen, was already dead at the start of it. Just before Arrow‘s final episodes, The CW’s DC shows united for Crisis on Infinite Earths. At the start of the crossover, Oliver sacrificed himself to save the multiverse. However, he later appeared as the Spectre, before ultimately deciding to move on. Luckily, he was reunited with Felicity in the series finale, who chose to leave with the Monitor to spend her time in the afterlife with Oliver.
In an interview with EW ahead of the show’s final season, Amell revealed the toll filming the show took on his body especially in the first season, saying, “I got sick really bad [after season 1]. I got walking pneumonia. I was sick until the fourth episode of season 2.” When asked how he was able to push through, Amell responded, “I faked it until I made it.” Amell recently revealed he has no plans to return to the Arrowverse at this time. This makes sense, considering the intense stress he was clearly under throughout the course of the series.
Though Amell may be done with the Green Arrow, the Arrowverse has a bright future ahead of it. Supergirl, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow are veterans at this point, with Legends in particular still hanging on to original Arrow character Sara Lance. Meanwhile, new series like Batwoman and next season’s Superman and Lois already seem promising. There’s also a chance for more Arrow characters to be onscreen come fall, with spinoff series Green Arrow and the Canaries still in contention for a series order. That show would feature Oliver and Felicity’s daughter Mia Queen taking up her father’s mantle alongside Black Canary and Black Siren.
Amell’s comments about getting sick during season 2 of Arrow speak to just how exhausting making a full season of TV can be. It’s not surprising there has been more of a push in recent years for limited series and shorter seasons. Part of this is motivated by finding the best possible avenue for a given story. However, another part of it is that actors are less inclined to sign on for network shows, especially dramas, knowing they may have to drive themselves near the point of exhaustion eight or nine months of the year. With Arrow behind him, hopefully Stephen Amell is taking advantage of his much-deserved break from network TV.
Source: EW
