Stephen Amell


Stephen Adam Amell is a Canadian actor and producer best known for playing Oliver Queen / Green Arrow on The CW superhero series Arrow, the show that started the Arrowverse. A lifelong professional wrestling fan, he has made appearances in major professional wrestling promotions, including working a match for WWE in 2015 and for Ring of Honor in 2017, joining the stable Bullet Club and later The Elite.

Early life

Stephen Amell was born May 8, 1981 in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Sandra Anne Bolté and Thomas J. Amell. He is a first cousin of actor Robbie Amell. He attended St. Andrew's College, a private independent school for boys.

Acting career

Amell appeared in two episodes of the fourth season of Queer as Folk as the Liberty Ride spinning instructor in 2004. Amell played Adam in the first season of the television series Dante's Cove; he was replaced in the second season by Jon Fleming. In 2007, Amell won a Gemini Award for his guest-starring role on ReGenesis. The same year he was also nominated for a Gemini Award in the Best Ensemble Cast Category for Rent-a-Goalie.
He had recurring roles in the TV series Da Kink in My Hair and Heartland. On December 3, 2010, Amell joined the cast of The Vampire Diaries as werewolf 'Brady' for season 2.
Amell starred as the real life criminal Joran van der Sloot in the Lifetime film Justice for Natalee Holloway which originally aired in May 2011.
On October 2, 2011, season 3 of HBO's series Hung premiered with Amell starring as busboy-turned-prostitute Jason, a younger rival "ho" to Thomas Jane's Ray Drecker. He also appeared as Jim in the fourth season of 90210.
Amell announced on October 28, 2011, that he had just finished filming the Christmas episode of New Girl with Zooey Deschanel and Max Greenfield. He touches on the experience of filming his first "network half-hour comedy" in an interview with Daemon's TV. On November 9, 2011, Amell was announced for the recurring role of Scottie, a paramedic on ABC's Private Practice. He also played the role of Travis McKenna in Blue Mountain State
In January 2012, Amell was cast as Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow in The CW series Arrow, based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. This series and role led to Amell appearing as the character on other superhero series on the network as part of the growing Arrowverse on shows such as The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl, as well as the CW Seed webseries Vixen.
Amell co-starred in the film , released on June 3, 2016, as vigilante Casey Jones.
Amell announced in May 2017 that he would be participating on a special celebrity edition of American Ninja Warrior. Amell demonstrated great physical abilities which was reflective of his athleticism in his portrayal of Oliver Queen.
In 2017, Amell took part in the directorial debut of former Heartland co-star Michelle Morgan, a short film entitled Mi Madre, My Father, playing the estranged father of a six-year-old girl. Morgan raised funds for the production through a crowdfunding campaign. The film premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
In March 2019, Amell announced the end of Arrow with its eighth and final season set to air in late 2019. His first post-Arrow project was announced the following August: Heels, a Starz drama series set in the world of independent professional wrestling.

Professional wrestling

WWE (2015)

As an avid professional wrestling fan, Amell campaigned for a guest appearance on WWE's weekly Raw program. In May 2015 it was reported that he was tentatively set to wrestle Stardust at WWE's SummerSlam pay-per-view in August. Amell made his first WWE appearance on the May 25 episode of Raw, where he had a confrontation with Stardust. Amell returned to Raw in early August; after being assaulted in the audience by Stardust, Amell got into the ring to attack him until being contained by security. Following a backstage segment with Triple H, it was announced that Neville would team with Amell to face Stardust and King Barrett at SummerSlam. At the event on August 23, 2015, Amell and Neville defeated Barrett and Stardust in a tag team match. Amell participated in the wrestling, and, behind the scenes, wrestlers were said to have been impressed with Amell's performance. Amell became friends with Rhodes, with whom he later also worked on Arrow. On December 21, 2015, Amell was awarded a Slammy for the "Celebrity Moment of the Year" for his dive onto Stardust during the match.

Ring of Honor (2017)

Amell returned to professional wrestling for Ring of Honor on November 17, 2017, at Survival of the Fittest. On the day of the show, Amell joined the Bullet Club faction, and teamed with Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks in a five-on-four tag team match. They defeated The Addiction, Flip Gordon, and Scorpio Sky, and Amell again participated in the wrestling, including being put through a table by The Addiction.

All In (2018)

On August 6, 2018, it was announced that Amell would be competing at All In, in his first-ever singles match, where he was defeated by Christopher Daniels.

Philanthropy

Amell has hosted a number of successful fundraising campaigns via the crowd funded merchandise platform Represent.com. In 2014, Amell partnered with the charity Fuck Cancer to raise almost a million dollars with the release of a T-shirt featuring his face on the front. He ended up selling over 60,000 shirts from this campaign. In January 2015, Amell launched his second Represent.com campaign featuring a word he made up, Sinceriously, to benefit two mental health charities: Paws and Stripes, and Stand For The Silent. In August 2015, Amell used his guest appearance on WWE Raw with Stardust to raise funds via his third campaign for children's hospice Emily's House in Toronto. The campaign raised $300,000, and Amell and Stardust presented a cheque together at Emily's House. During the Red Nose Day special of American Ninja Warrior, Amell donated $35,000 for completing all six obstacles, and an extra obstacle, the Salmon Ladder.

Personal life

Amell married his first wife, fellow Canadian Carolyn Lawrence, on December 8, 2007, in Toronto. The couple divorced in 2010. Amell married actress and model Cassandra Jean on December 25, 2012, in a private ceremony in the Caribbean, and for a second time in New Orleans on May 26, 2013. The couple have a daughter born in October 2013.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007'Detective
2007Closing the RingTeddy Gordon
2009'GuyDirect-to-video
2011Stay with MeTravisShort film
2016Code 8Drone OperatorShort film
Also executive producer
2016Casey Jones
2018Mi Madre, My FatherHal NelsonShort film
Premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival
2019Code 8Garrett KentAlso executive producer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Queer as FolkSpinning Instructor2 episodes
2004'DoormanEpisode: "Ghost in the Machine: Part 2"
2005MissingIan HarringtonEpisode: "Paper Anniversary"
2005TiltBellboyEpisode: "Rivered"
2005Beautiful PeopleJason5 episodes
2005Dante's CoveAdam2 episodes
2006'Buddy HarrelsonTelevision film
2006–08Rent-a-GoalieBillyMain role
2007ReGenesisCraig Riddlemeyer2 episodes
2007–09Da Kink in My HairMatthew4 episodes
2007–12HeartlandNick Harwell6 episodes
2009FlashpointPeter HendersonEpisode: "Exit Wounds"
2010Blue Mountain StateTravis McKenna2 episodes
2010'Peter TruittEpisode: "Sleepless in Miami"
2010'Marine Gunnery Sergeant Andrew WeaverEpisode: "Bounty"
2010'Philip SeavermTelevision film
2011'Brady2 episodes
2011A.J. GustEpisode: "73 Seconds"
2011Justice for Natalee HollowayJoran van der SlootTelevision film
2011HungJasonMain role
201190210Jim2 episodes
2011–12New GirlKyle2 episodes
2012Private PracticeScott Becker7 episodes
2012–2020ArrowOliver Queen / The Hood / Arrow / Green Arrow / SpectreLead role
2013When Calls the HeartWynn DelaneyTelevision film
2014–2019The FlashOliver Queen / Green Arrow / Arrow9 episodes
2015ReelsideHimselfEpisode: "Superheroes"
2015WWE RawHimself2 episodes
2016–2020DC's Legends of TomorrowOliver Queen / Green Arrow / Dark Arrow / Spectre6 episodes
2017American Ninja WarriorHimselfEpisode: "Celebrity Ninja Warrior for Red Nose Day"
2017–2019SupergirlOliver Queen / Green Arrow / Dark Arrow3 episodes
2019BatwomanOliver Queen / Green ArrowEpisode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Two"
TBAHeelsTBAMain role

Web

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015Dudes Being Dudes in Wine CountryHimselfAlso co-creator
2015–16VixenOliver Queen / The Arrow / Green Arrow 5 episodes
2017–presentBeing The EliteHimselfCameo

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013'Green ArrowArrow skin
2014'Green Arrow

Awards and nominations