Posted in: Arrow, CW, Preview, Starz, streaming, TV, YouTube | Tagged: arrow, arrowverse, bleeding cool, breg berlanti, cable, COVID, greg berlanti, heels, inside of you, michael rosenbaum, oliver queen, podcast, starz, stephen amell, streaming, television, the cw, tv, wrestling

Heels: Stephen Amell Says COVID Nearly Resulted in Arrow Return & More

If we're being totally honest, we would be lying if we said we weren't feeling a little concerned on a personal level for Heels star Stephen Amell (Arrow). Late last month, we learned from Amell that he tested positive for COVID in early October and was forced to leave production on the indy wrestling-themed STARZ series. Then last week, reports came out that Amell had sustained an injury to his back while filming the series. So with all of that in play, we're sending waves of good wishes out to him and his family- and we're glad to be able to take a moment to report on something Amell-related that doesn't involve another physical hit to his health. Something that should get Arrow fans salivating…

During his recent appearance on the Inside of You podcast with host Michael Rosenbaum, Amell revealed that that was a time over the summer when production on Heels was riddled with huge question marks. But since Amell was already quarantining, wanting to work, and on stomping grounds that he got to know for eight seasons as the star of a certain "Arrowverse" series, he decided to give someone a call. That someone? Greg Berlanti. Amell's pitch: he's already in the area and since The CW shows might be having issues getting American actors over the border, why not whip up another season of Arrow- or at least keep it "on the radar," as Amell asked Berlanti to do. Now while things have straightened out on the Heels end of things, it does go to show that fans have every right to hold out hope. Besides, Amell even refers to Michael C. Hall's return to Dexter (as he did on Twitter) to demonstrate the importance of never saying never (if you know what he means… *wink-wink*):

STARZ's Heels focuses on the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals — Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Alexander Ludwig, Vikings) — war over their late father's legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel. But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

In the ring, Amell's Jack Spade is the charismatic villain, or heel, of the Duffy Wrestling Association (DWA). In the real world, he's its hard-working owner, a husband, and father trying to make ends meet while fighting to realize his impossible dreams. He has the mind of an artist in the body of a warrior, and a Steve Jobs-ian need for perfection — and for control. He says he'll do whatever it takes to build the DWA into an empire. Will he go so far as to risk his marriage – or his relationship with his brother, Ace?

Ludwig's Ace Spade is the beloved hero and star of the DWA. Things are more difficult in the real world, where he struggles to reconcile his town idol status with his insecurities and demons. He's brash, cocky, and self-destructive — yet so damn charming and good-looking that you can almost forgive him. If he can keep it together, he'll have a ticket out of Duffy and to the big time. But that's a big if…

Written by Michael Waldron (Loki), directed by Peter Segal (Shameless), and with Mike O'Malley serving as showrunner, the series also stars Chris Bauer (For All Mankind), Kelli Berglund (Animal Kingdom), Broadway actress/musician Alison Luff, Allen Maldonado (The Last O.G.), James Harrison (S.W.A.T.), and Mary McCormack (The Kids Are Alright). Waldron and O'Malley are also set to executive produce, alongside LBI Entertainment's Julie Yorn, Chris Donnelly, and Patrick Walmsley. STARZ and Lionsgate TV produce.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

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