Stephen Amell

Stephen Amell, born May 8, 1981, in Toronto, Ontario, is a Canadian actor whose defining screen role was Oliver Queen in The CW's Arrow. He joined the series at its 2012 launch and remained its lead throughout all eight seasons, ending with the 2020 episode "Fadeout." Arrow began with Queen returning to Starling City after five years shipwrecked on Lian Yu; initially a hooded vigilante using a bow, he became Green Arrow and assembled a team including John Diggle and Felicity Smoak. Amell's performance anchored the program that initiated the interconnected Arrowverse, which later included The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman. Before Arrow, Amell appeared on television in Queer as Folk, where he played spinning instructor Liberty Ride, and in the comedy series Rent-a-Goalie. His early work also included recurring appearances as Nick Harvelle on The Vampire Diaries and as Joran van der Sloot in the Lifetime film Justice for Natalee Holloway. In 2011, he received a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role Dramatic Series for the Canadian series Heartland. That same period brought roles in the features The Tracey Fragments and Closing the Ring, directed by Richard Attenborough. Amell later played professional wrestler Jack Spade in Heels, the Starz drama created by Michael Waldron. Set around the fictional Georgia wrestling promotion Duffy Wrestling League, the series follows the conflict between Jack and his brother Ace, portrayed by Alexander Ludwig, as they balance family pressures with the staged rivalries required by their business. Amell trained extensively for the physical role and performed in wrestling settings beyond drama: he competed at WWE SummerSlam in 2015, partnering with Neville against Stardust and King Barrett. He also appeared in Ring of Honor's 2017 Survival of the Fittest tournament and All In's 2018 battle royal. His film work includes the science-fiction thriller Code 8, which he produced with his cousin Robbie Amell. The 2019 film depicts a near-future world in which people with abilities face discrimination; Stephen plays Garrett Kelton, a telekinetic criminal who recruits Robbie Amell's character, Connor Reed. A feature-length version followed their earlier short film. In 2024, Amell led the Suits spinoff Suits LA, playing former New York federal prosecutor Ted Black, who builds an entertainment-law practice in Los Angeles after its 2025 premiere on NBC television. His career now notably spans superhero television, independent science fiction, professional-wrestling drama, and several distinct narrative forms.