Colton Haynes, who portrayed Roy Harper, a.k.a. Arsenal on Arrow, reveals his last departure after season 7 from the Arrowverse drama was because of a cast member he couldn't stand. The Arrowverse has been one of The CW's biggest flagship franchises since 2012 when Arrow premiered, starring Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen. The Green Arrow-centric drama was a gritty interpretation of the Emerald Archer, which set the foundation for what has become the Arrowverse, consisting of several interconnected series.
One of the key characters from the Green Arrow mythology to get introduced early in Arrow's run was Roy Harper, better known as Speedy, Red Arrow, and Arsenal in the comics. Portrayed by Teen Wolf star Colton Haynes, Roy quickly became a core Team Arrow member until the actor's departure in Arrow season 3, as he dealt with physical and mental health issues. While Roy would pop up as a guest later on, Haynes eventually returned as a full-time cast member in season 7 but only returned for a handful of episodes in Arrow season 8.
Almost two years after Arrow finished its run on The CW, Haynes is opening up more about what happened between seasons 7 and 8. In his new memoir, Miss Memory Lane (via E!Online,) the 33-year-old actor is sharing his various experiences in his career, including his final years on Arrow. Haynes revealed in his memoir that it wasn't his contract that made him not return as a series regular, but rather depression and one specific Arrow cast member that he couldn't stand to work with, stating the following:
"I had walked away from my full-time job on Arrow at the beginning of the year, supposedly because my contract had ended. but it was really because I was too depressed and I couldn't stand working with one of my cast mates."
Not only didn't Haynes state who this Arrow castmate was, but it's unclear whether it was one of the other series regulars or a recurring guest that appeared in season 7. Throughout Arrow season 7, Roy's biggest arc wasn't actually in the present but mostly in the future as Haynes portrayed an older Arsenal working with Mia Queen-Smoak, William Clayton, and more. Even though Arrow season 8 only consisted of 10 episodes, Haynes reprised the DC hero for three episodes, including the series finale where he and Thea Queen get engaged. Following the series finale, Haynes hasn't returned to the Arrowverse on any of the other shows.
Until Haynes shares more, it will never be clear which Arrow cast member was making it challenging for his experience on set. While unfortunate, it's not uncommon for various actors to have conflicts with one another, especially in any major TV production. At the same time, if it was doing harm to Haynes' mental health, something he has been very vocal about in past years, it was the right call for the actor to exit the Arrowverse show. For now, it's anyone's guess which Arrow cast member Haynes was referring to in Miss Memory Lane.
Source: Miss Memory Lane (via E!Online)