Stephen Amell addressed his recent comments about the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike after receiving major backlash.
“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,” Amell, 42, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, August 1. “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.”
The actor asserted that he is on the same side as his fellow union members, adding, “This doesn’t need much clarity: My support is unconditional and I stand with them.”
Amell also noted that he understands “fundamentally” why actors are on strike.
“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,” he continued. “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.”
Amell’s statement came after he made headlines for questioning how SAG has addressed its labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The inion formally initially a strike last month after failing to reach an agreement regarding contract negotiations. (The AMPTP represents major companies such as Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony.)
“I feel like I’m insulated in Hollywood, because that’s where I live … [but] I feel like a lot of people in this room aren’t aware of the strike,” Amell told fans at GalaxyCon, which took place from Thursday, July 27, to Sunday, July 30. “I support my union, I do. And I stand with them. I do not support striking. I don’t. I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic. I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think that the thinking as it pertains to shows like [Heels], the show that I’m on that premiered last night, I think it’s myopic.”
In response, Amell’s former Arrow costar Kirk Acevedo responded to the original comments by tweeting, “This f–king guy,” alongside two middle finger emojis, a dragon and an eye roll emoji.
While walking back his opposition to the strike, Amell explained his use of the word “myopic” in the context of his upcoming work. Due to union guidelines, members are not allowed to promote projects created under the former AMPTP contract — which includes season 2 of Amell’s show Heels.
“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,” he added on Tuesday. “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.”
He concluded: “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.”
