“Arrow” star Stephen Amell gets flack for his recent comments on SAG-AFTRA Strike

by Fanboy SEO · August 2, 2023

Arrow star Stephen Amell has gotten some flak online for his recent comments about the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike happening in Hollywood where he says he supports the union but not the idea of going on strike.

The former Arrow star who plays the DC Comics character Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow has stated that he supports the strike that’s been going on for some time now by the writers and actors in Hollywood over fair wages or increased wages but he is not behind the idea of going on strike.

Ironically he says that while heavily plugging the latest season of his new show titled Heels

Stephen Amell doesn’t support the #SAGAFTRAstrike and has been actively promoting #HeelsSTARZ during the strike.

Stephen Amell can also afford health insurance and thinks people “don’t know what’s going on.”#SAGAFTRAstrong #sagaftramembers #SAGAFTRA pic.twitter.com/LNDPakv8qr

— Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) July 31, 2023

Obviously his comments won’t sit well with other actors and co-workers who are heavily fighting to get better rates for their works and to stop the big companies from going through with their plans of adding some AI element when doing movies or TV shows.

In the time since the video and article on TMZ.com came out however, Amell has posted some clarifications about his stand with the strike. He writes:

Understandably, there has been a lot of reaction to the comments I made this weekend about our strike. To ensure there is no misunderstanding about my thoughts and intentions I’m providing what I actually said and clarity/context to ensure my feelings aren’t unintentionally misinterpreted. We all know soundbites can be taken out of context and I have too much respect for my fellow union members to not clarify the record.
What I actually said:
1 “I support my union, I do, and I stand with them.”
This doesn’t need much clarity: My support is unconditional and I stand with them.
What I actually said:
2 “I do not support striking, I don’t.”
What this means in full context: I understand fundamentally why we’re here. My off the cuff use of the word “support” is clearly contradictory to my true feelings and my emphatic statement that I stand with my union. Of course I don’t like striking. Nobody does. But we have to do what we have to do.
What I said
3 “I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic and I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating.”
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.
What I said
4 “I think that thinking as it pertains to shows like the show that I am on that that premiered last night, I think it is myopic”
What I meant: Nothing about the strike is funny but if I may self deprecate for a moment. I have no clue what I was trying to say here and who says, “I think that thinking…?” Perhaps it was an inarticulate shoutout to our crew and cast, who mean the world to me. 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.
As I said from the jump, I want to ensure that my thoughts and intentions are not misconstrued. This situation reminds of the proverb, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions,” which apparently, after reading a limited amount of the commentary, is a place many of you would like me to visit. However, at least for the foreseeable future, I choose to stand with my union. When you see me on a picket line please don’t whip any hard fruit. – Stephen