Posted in: Preview, Starz, TV | Tagged: heels, mike o'malley, starz, stephen amell

Heels Seeking New Home; Stephen Amell/SAG-AFTRA Comments: Showrunner

Heels Showrunner & EP Mike O’Malley confirmed that the series is looking for a new home and addressed Stephen Amell's SAG-AFTRA controversy.

Earlier this week, the bad news hit regarding the future of the Stephen Amell & Alexander Ludwig-starring Heels, with STARZ confirming that the professional wrestling series had been canceled after two seasons. To say that the news was not well-received by the fans would be an understatement, helping propel #CancelSTARZ to trend nationally. Now, Showrunner & EP Mike O'Malley (who also portrays Charlie Gully) is opening up for the first time post-WGA strike about the decision, about when he first learned of it, and some thoughts on where a third season could go. But in the first highlight below, O'Malley makes it clear that the series is being shopped elsewhere and that he believes "it's going to have a life someplace else." Following that, O'Malley addresses the SAG-AFTRA & WGA-related controversy that Amell found himself in when he was accused of not supporting SAG-AFTRA's efforts.

"Heels" Is Currently Seeing a New Home: "Yeah, we are actively doing it right now. And some of the actors are still under contract. Obviously, the [writers'] strike just ended. I couldn't have any conversations about this [until now], and granted, they just told me on Friday. But not only are we trying to [find a new network], I really believe the STARZ executives when they say they want to see a future for the show too because they did invest a lot in the show… I really do think it's going to have a life someplace else."

O'Malley Spoke to Amell About His SAG-AFTRA Comments: "Well, I called Stephen, and I spoke to him about it. What he was trying to talk about is that he loved the show, and he had an incredible pride in the show. We knew that [his comments] were going to distract from the hard work that the people in both the WGA, of which I'm a member, and SAG-AFTRA, were doing. And I knew that immediately because I had been on the picket line. When I heard, and I called him up, I said, 'Stephen, man, we all got to stand together.' He got it immediately."

O'Malley Sees Amell's Comments as An "Unfortunate Moment" for the Series Star: "I just think it was an unfortunate moment; I genuinely think that he put his foot in his mouth. He felt bad about it. My initial reaction was just like, 'Ah man, I know how this is going to play, and I've got to talk to him about it because I don't think he meant it to come across the way that it did.' I think he was basically saying was what a lot of people were saying, which was that they were frustrated that they couldn't work. But I know where his heart is, and his heart is standing with his union, as he said."

STARZ's Heels Season 2 also stars Alison Luff ("New Amsterdam") as Staci Spade, Mary McCormack ("Deep Impact," "The L Word") as Willie Day, Kelli Berglund ("The Goldbergs," "The Animal Kingdom") as Crystal Tyler, Allen Maldonado (House Party, "The Wonder Years," "The Last O.G.") as Rooster Robbins, Chris Bauer ("Gaslit," "Survivor's Remorse," "True Blood") as Wild Bill Hancock, Trey Tucker ("The Outpost") as Bobby Pin, Robby Ramos ("Chicago P.D.") as Diego Cottonmouth,Alice Barrett Mitchell ("The Thing About Pam," "Billions") as Carol Spade,Roxton Garcia("Reminensce") as Thomas Spade, David James Elliott (Trumbo, "JAG") as Tom Spade, Joel Murray("Mad Men," "Shameless") as Eddie Earl, CM Punk ("Mayans," "AEW Dynamite") as Ricky Rabies, AJ Mendez ("Women of Wrestling," "WWE") as Elle Dorado, Josh Segarra (Scream VI, "Arrow," "The Other Two") as Brooks Rizzo, and Emmy Raver-Lampman as Jen Lussier.

Showrunner and executive producer Mike O'Malley ("Survivor's Remorse," "Shameless") also portrays Charlie Gully on the series. Michael Waldron ("Loki," Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, "Rick and Morty") is the show creator. Christopher Donnelly (By Sidney Lumet), Pete Segal (Get Smart, 50 First Dates, Tommy Boy, "Shameless"), Patrick Walmsley (JT LeRoy), and Julie Yorn (Hell or High Water, White Boy Rick) also serve as executive producers on the series. "Heels" is produced through O'Malley Ink and LBI Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television for STARZ.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!