Arrow star Katie Cassidy has reflected on her character being killed off from the show, branding the decision "political".
Cassidy is best known to fans of the Arrowverse for the role of Laurel Lance aka Black Canary. The character was killed in season four, with Cassidy subsequently returning as Black Siren on The Flash and then back on Arrow.
Looking back on being let go from Arrow, Cassidy admitted being shocked.
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"I was in shock, because the next day I was in New York going to Comic-Con with my whole cast," she said on the Inside of You podcast.
"I was angry at first. And I was emotional because I was sad, and I was angry because I was so happy [working on the show]," she said.
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"It was a couple of things [that led to the decision]. I have theories. I think it was political. It's a lot."
Cassidy said she spoke with the executive producers at the time, voicing her frustration over the decision to kill Black Canary off.
"I was like, 'I just have to say, I feel like I've always been given the short end of the stick and I have to go'," she said.
"I didn't yell. I just cried because I was sad. I worked really hard on that show and that character. I loved it."
After joining the cast of The Flash as Earth-2 Laurel/Black Siren – an antagonistic version of her original character from a parallel universe – Cassidy was asked back on Arrow.
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"Unfortunately, after they killed me, I guess their ratings went down a little. But I did get a call after The Flash aired that said, 'Will you come back as a series regular? I think we may have made a mistake'," she recalled.
"That was season 6, and on season 5, I was recurring. Then I was back and better than ever."
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
