Here's why Stephen Amell is tagging out of the Arrowverse and grappling with the world of professional wrestling for Heels. Following minor roles in Hung and 90210, Stephen Amell's big break came courtesy of The CW's Arrow, in which he starred as the titular archer known to friends as Oliver Queen. Running for a total of eight seasons, Arrow had a revolutionary impact upon DC's small screen superheroes, giving rise to the hugely popular Arrowverse franchise with Amell at the center. The Green Arrow would also partake in a number of crossover events, culminating in the ambitious Crisis on Infinite Earths in 2019.
Stephen Amell's first major project since hanging up his quiver is Heels. Airing on the Starz network, Heels takes its name from the wrestling vernacular for a bad guy - the in-ring hero is the "babyface" and the villain is referred to as the "heel." Amell plays Jack Spade, an independent wrestler who locks-up with his brother (Alexander Lugwig's Ace) over their father's local wrestling promotion. As well as honoring the family legacy, the Spade brothers also find themselves trying to grow beyond their Georgia hometown and toward the bright lights of a major promotion. While there will no doubt be other famous faces to look out for, Heels will feature former WWE champion CM Punk in an antagonist role.
Stephen Amell's foray into the world of professional wrestling drama might seem like a strange career move after ascending to DC royalty, but Heels is actually a long time coming for the actor. A lifelong professional wrestling fan, Amell's Arrow fame opened a door to WWE in 2015, allowing Oliver Queen to moonlight in the ring alongside Stardust (Cody Rhodes), Neville (Pac) and "King" Wade Barrett at that year's Summerslam event. Not all celebrities do themselves justice when dabbling in pro wrestling, but Stephen Amell was a notable exception, and was clearly bitten by the grappling bug. Amell later teamed with Rhodes in a Ring of Honor tag match featuring The Young Bucks and SCU, then had his first singles bout against Christopher Daniels at 2018's All In. Acting may be his day job, but Stephen Amell's handful of matches have cemented his status as a legit pro wrestler who knows his way around the ropes.
Compared to the superhero shenanigans of Oliver Queen, Jack Spade occupies a more niche corner of pop culture. Professional wrestling doesn't have the wide appeal of DC's superhero universe, and many still struggle with the concept of simulated fighting (most recently Soulja Boy), but those who have seen Stephen Amell in action have often wondered whether he might pursue the sport full-time. Amell has cited the threat of divorce as the reason for not joining a wrestling promotion long-term, and has also described how in-ring injuries caused problems on the set of Arrow. Presumably, Heels means Amell can enjoy some in-ring action without incurring the wrath of his wife, or disgruntled television producers.
With one foot in TV and the other in wrestling, Heels makes total sense as Stephen Amell's next big project. There's never a shortage of backstage drama in the wrestling world, and by exploring that aspect of the business with Heels, Amell can flex his acting chops while also showing off his in-ring acumen. Furthermore, wrestling drama has enjoyed plenty of mainstream success of late. Whether it's Dark Side of the Ring, GLOW or Fighting With My Family, there's evidently a mainstream interest in the wacky world of pro wrestling - especially the fights that happen when the crowd goes home. Heels taps into that trend, and casting Stephen Amell gives the show an authenticity that wrestling fans will appreciate, while still appealing to the Arrowverse fans who don't know their suplexes from their snapmares.