Social Media and Behind the Scenes: AKA Everything Else Not "News and Media"

[tv echo]

From Arrow panel (KL, PB, EK, DN) at Christchurch Armageddon in New Zealand this weekend (NZ is 16 hours ahead of NYC)...

Edited June 2, 2018 by tv echo

[apinknightmare]

6 minutes ago, tv echo said:

Don't tell that to Stephen. Don't tell Stephen I'm saving his show.

No, please tell him. And make sure a camera is on him when you do it. 

[tv echo]

http://creativelab.hawaii.gov/event/writers-panel-discussion/ 

Edited June 2, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

[statsgirl]

9 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I find this so telling.  KA basically admitted that often people he works with use stunt fights as an excuse to punch him.   We keep finding out such lovely things about the man.

I know I should be appalled but somehow I find this hysterically funny.  Karma is a sneaky little thing.

[Primal Slayer]

I'm glad that Beth is having the writers team do all these bonding exercises. You can tell she is already running things differently from MG/WM who probably were more separated from the team. 

[lemotomato]

12 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I find this so telling.  KA basically admitted that often people he works with use stunt fights as an excuse to punch him.   We keep finding out such lovely things about the man

This is especially funny given this exchange when they were filming the season finale:

I don't think SA sounds sorry.

[tv echo]

[tv echo]

[KenyaJ]

No, keep MG away from the writers! Don't let him infect them with his nonsense!

[SmallScreenDiva]

9 minutes ago, KenyaJ said:

No, keep MG away from the writers! Don't let him infect them with his nonsense!

I was tempted to reply with a GIF of sage burning under Tonya's tweet but decided it wasn't worth the effort :P

[Mary0360]

Technically isn't he still apart of the writers room? Isn't he still a consultant or some such rubbish? 

[scarynikki12]

Agreed on Darhk working better on LOT. Both seasons he was a better villain than on Arrow. Having that foundation no doubt made a difference than if he was fresh but LOT still used him better. 

[way2interested]

37 minutes ago, Mary0360 said:

Technically isn't he still apart of the writers room? Isn't he still a consultant or some such rubbish? 

Nope, consulting is basically just a vanity title.

[Primal Slayer]

What a random thing to take photos of. Does TheCW really think that far in the future when taking promo pics?

[EmilyBettFan]

So biased yet again.

[tv echo]

[Trisha]

Man, every time I see photos of the new writing team I get so excited. So many women! Only one white dude! Just when I think I’m over this show they pull me back in...

[Soulfire]

Hello, start of a goatee...

[KenyaJ]

Emily hard at work on her play.

[bijoux]

Shallow moment - I hope she dyes her hair before filming starts.

[calliope1975]

I'm wondering if SA's going to go with the goatee instead of the Van Dyke. It's definitely a better look, and I'm guessing because comic stans won't know the difference. 

[apinknightmare]

8 minutes ago, calliope1975 said:

I'm wondering if SA's going to go with the goatee instead of the Van Dyke. It's definitely a better look, and I'm guessing because comic stans won't know the difference. 

I hope he keeps it relatively as is right now. This looks good-ish. I've never seen a Van Dyke not look stupid. 

[BkWurm1]

On 6/2/2018 at 4:16 PM, tv echo said:

Every once and awhile i hear someone that claims to be a former member of the crew just shred SA, saying he's the worst and only good to his fans and I wonder if there is any truth to it or if these are probably someone with an ax to grind.  But then we get such glowing comments from the other actors.  Kathleen Gati has been in the business a very long time.  I appreciate and trust that she knows what she's talking about when she calls him consummate professional.  Raissa wasn't on tons but I trust that she would pick any bad vibes on the set if SA really was this two-faced monster.  

[Mellowyellow]

Some of SA's Twitter posts really make me side eye him but I work on the theory that if lovely, drama free, completely chilled EBR seems to like him so much he might not be awful. 

[way2interested]

I feel like it's partially dependent on days. Every interaction comes with a different takeaway depending on how the interaction went, a super nice person can have one bad day to a person in line next to them and that person will think they are the worst or vice versa. Filming gets very stressful especially for main cast and the crew, so I wouldn't be surprised if words are exchanged in anger at the moment or just that SA wouldn't be nice under stress while at the same time being generally fine to cast and crew.

[Mary0360]

14 minutes ago, BkWurm1 said:

Every once and awhile i hear someone that claims to be a former member of the crew just shred SA, saying he's the worst and only good to his fans and I wonder if there is any truth to it or if these are probably someone with an ax to grind.  But then we get such glowing comments from the other actors.  Kathleen Gati has been in the business a very long time.  I appreciate and trust that she knows what she's talking about when she calls him consummate professional.  Raissa wasn't on tons but I trust that she would pick any bad vibes on the set if SA really was this two-faced monster.  

It depends whether he's different to cast members then lowly crew members. Although given what I've heard about how he is with fans I want to believe that he isn't the kind of guy that then goes and treats the crew like the help. Stuff like the restaurant tweets don't help though. The fact is I'd be surprised if there were many celebrities that didnt carry a sense of entitlement once they achieved fame. 

[Mellowyellow]

He always seems more ass-y on vacation than when he's filming imo! I'm pretty sure most of the stuff I side eye happens when he's on vacation! 

[Sunshine]

Re: SA pictures...I believe that is also his Code 8 look.  They are filming some scenes in late June in Toronto,  

[BkWurm1]

40 minutes ago, Mary0360 said:

It depends whether he's different to cast members then lowly crew members. Although given what I've heard about how he is with fans I want to believe that he isn't the kind of guy that then goes and treats the crew like the help. Stuff like the restaurant tweets don't help though. The fact is I'd be surprised if there were many celebrities that didnt carry a sense of entitlement once they achieved fame. 

I don't expect anyone is an angel all the time but let me link a specific example of what I was referring to.  This is a comment left on that Enty Reveal that supposes that SA and EBR pushed Willa off the show.  (Which I don't buy)  I've honestly only heard the paps talking about rumors and this guy but I can imagine this guy being very vocal.  

I'll link the blind but this is the comment about it from someone that calls themselves Yourwonderwench

http://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2018/06/blind-items-revealed-2.html

Quote

I worked on arrow and Stephen Armell is the one of the biggest low life piece of shit bully humans I’ve ever had to put up with. And I’ve worked with a lot of big names.

The worst part is that he treats his fans like gold and has this amazing reputation for being an angel. But my god, is that a lie. The guy isn’t just a jerk, he’s a vicious prick.

I can absolutely believe SA might blow up at someone or have a bad day, we all do, or be entitled or even somewhat annoying about his perfectionism but this?  No, I trust if this level of crap had any truth it would be something the rest of the cast would see and at least subtly address.   

Edited June 4, 2018 by BkWurm1

[way2interested]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Re: SA pictures...I believe that is also his Code 8 look.  They are filming some scenes in late June in Toronto,  

Idk, his Code 8 look was a regular beard while this looks purposefully trimmed. There's practically nothing on the sides in the pic while Code 8 had the beginnings of a full on lumberjack beard. Idk what they're going to do for that filming since it looks nothing like his Code 8 look, but maybe his facial hair grows faster there.

[Featherhat]

14 minutes ago, BkWurm1 said:

I don't expect anyone is an angel all the time but let me link a specific example of what I was referring to.  This is a comment left on that Enty Reveal that supposes that SA and EBR pushed Willa off the show.  (Which I don't buy)  I've honestly only heard the paps talking about rumors and this guy but I can imagine this guy being very vocal.  

Enty also claimed SA, his wife and ERB are in a poly relationship with his wife and ERB being the main pairing, which I don't buy. There have been lots of rumours about why WH left the show, including her own personal problems or wanting to spend more time with her husband or being fed up with Thea's storylines. Unless she opens up like CH eventually did I doubt we'll ever know for sure. Like a lot of things Olicity posting SA and ERB BIs gets them a lot of clicks. 

It might be possible that he's awesome with fans and a horrible human being to the cast and crew but despite me truly side eying a lot of what he puts out on SM but aside from that and other dude bro moments, I honestly don't get the impression he's 100% nasty whenever he's not at a con. Though that doesn't discount the fact that people who work on the show may have had bad experiences with him as well. 

[JamieLynn832002]

I really don't put much stock in anything coming from that site. I know there were apparently posts about Weinstein before the news broke but I'd been hearing/reading about him for years while living in small town Illinois with no connection to the entertainment industry so I don't really give that too much credit. I'm sure SA isn't perfect but most of the blinds are so crazypants that it's hard to believe any of them.

[statsgirl]

1 hour ago, Mellowyellow said:

He always seems more ass-y on vacation than when he's filming imo! I'm pretty sure most of the stuff I side eye happens when he's on vacation! 

Yeah.  From all reports when he's got a job to do, whether it's the show or signing autographs, he's about the job. The guy who writes the Geek Dad blog was there when they were filming the Fight Club promo and he said that SA was totally focused on getting the job done and done well.

He can be an ass at social times and I think he should drink less but it doesn't make sense that he doesn't leave the booth till everyone has an autograph signed and doesn't serious charity drives but is a jerk on set to the crew.  He doesn't have to do the extras that he does.

[bijoux]

Not discounting the option that he sometimes rubs the crew the wrong way or doesn't gel with some, SA consciously praises them a lot of the time when talking about the show. Which is a thing that goes in the plus column in my book. 

[Chaser]

SA is OCD and a perfectionist. I can believe that would be hard to work with at times. 

[Mary0360]

All I know is that #Metoo has taught me that a celebrity's public and private persona can be two very different things. 

 

I choose to believe or hope Stephen is as generous with everyone in his life as he has always been with fans and judging by his good relationships with his cast mates, but it wouldn't rock my world view if it came out that Stephen was difficult, even a nightmare to work with after all the recent scandals. 

[Mellowyellow]

WTH has Fandom been up to? I just clicked on the Shipworthy video and it's reached 30K plus views! I swore it was only 20K yesterday! 

Was it or am I crazy?

[BunsenBurner]

I don’t know SA and don’t really want to know him.

If I were a lead actor, who had OCD, on a show that had previously gotten good ratings and watched the show doing a slo-mo version of falling off a cliff I would probably have a few mini blowups of frustration.   Scripts that make no sense and didn’t maintain continuity would eventually drive me a little crazy.

If we worked the crazy hours that they do and don’t get any satisfaction from that effort and know that a million plus viewers aren’t going to be happy, then yes I think it’s amazing he keeps his off air self in check while in public for most of year. His little blowups don’t bother me.  

[tv echo]

Video of full Arrow Villains panel (KC, JS, KA) at HVFF-London (May 27, 2018) - a lot of video clips from this panel were previously posted (and transcribed) upthread, so I only transcribed a few new portions...

Arrow Villains Panel (Cassidy, Segarra, Acevedo) at the Heroes & Villains Fan Fest London 2018 hvff
Published on Jun 3, 2018, by Simone Wegener

-- When asked how they get ready for their villain roles, KA said that he has to get the tattoo and facial scars applied, which takes 2-3 hours. KC said that the tattoo takes so long that, by the time they're ready to shoot, "we're all pissed off" and KA is "ready to throw down." KA also said that the tattoo/scars have to be "scrubbed off" which leaves "sores." JS then talked about how you want to look "powerful and scary and menacing" but that there's nothing worse than going on set and feeling "fake." So he said that it "all comes down" to what's inside - that it's not about "posing" or practicing "looks", but about really "believing everything that's coming out." JS then said that he "really loves this job." 

-- Mod then said it had been really good to see JS back on Arrow this season and asked if it was emotional for him returning. JS: "Absolutely. It was very emotional. Uh, you know, when you say bye to any job, you're not sure how long you're going to say bye to it.... It was fun getting to play with everyone. I'm mad I haven't gotten to play with Kirk yet, because I love that cat, but maybe soon, bro, maybe soon... I loved being back."

-- On whether they played any pranks on set, KA: "No, I didn't. You know, it's hard because, for me, I'm coming onto a show that's already established, so it's kinda hard... It's kind of difficult at first because you don't know each other, they have relationships, but that also helps me as the villain. But also sometimes people can take it the wrong way. 'Oh, he's an asshole.' But it's not, you're just not familiar with everyone. So, uh, no, I couldn't play pranks on anyone because then I would really be an asshole." KC said that, while she tries to "stay in it" when working but to leave it when the scene's over, KA "stays in it the whole time" they're working. She then said to KA: "You're an incredible talent."

-- On what it would be like for them to meet their doppelgangers and what kind of acting challenge that would be, KC: "I think it would be awesome. I have always said that it would be really interesting to see Laurel Lance meet Black Siren. What does that look like? It would be so fun. Again, as an actor, they're writing to you. You might also see my own fiance - he should probably not talk to me during this episode because I'll probably be in the middle of it, [unintelligible words] face, I think. But, uh, that could be wildly scary and I don't know what could happen. Yeah. Stay tuned."

-- On whether there was a scene that was emotionally stressful for them, JS mentioned the scene when Adrian Chase killed his wife. KC mentioned the scene when Laurel was in the hospital bed. KA said that he's had fun playing the villain and that, for him, it's easier playing the villain than the hero. KA: "If I'm in a bad mood, I'm going to have a good scene. I'm going to have a real good scene... Maybe I'm just an asshole."

-- On the "cruelest thing" that their characters have done, KA: "You know, actually, I haven't done anything cruel - let me explain... The worst thing I did - listen, because it was written that way, I wouldn't do it, it was written that way - is when I stabbed Oliver unfairly in our first fight scene. That to me was cruel because I'm kind of an honorable guy... But that's the writers' fault, that's not my fault." JS: "Waiting for Oliver's son outside his bus." KC: "I think, honestly, the beginning of Season 2, when Sara comes back, Laurel broke a glass. She does and says some pretty terrible things to her, including throwing glasses at her, and here's her sister back from the dead, you'd think she would be happy. But no... I think the way she treated her sister [unintelligible words] was pretty terrible."(*)

(* I think it's interesting that when the mod asked about the cruelest thing their characters have done, without specifying Black Canary or Black Siren, KC immediately thought of original Laurel and completely skipped over her current role of BS and all the cruel things that BS has done.)

-- KA: "I don't really see my character as bad. I see no difference than he and Oliver. Oliver kills people. He's the vigilante. He lies. The only difference between me and Oliver is, I don't hide who I am. He hides who he is. So, you know, I am who I am because of what happened in my childhood... I don't see him as bad. I don't. But I have to play him that way, I have to."(**)

(** Clearly, KA has never watched Arrow, as he admitted in a recent interview. Oliver aimed to kill bad people, while Diaz kills anyone he wants, including good people. Oliver killed to save the city and other people, while Diaz kills for his own selfish motives. Oliver has shown remorse for his killings and now tries not to kill unnecessarily, while Diaz has shown no remorse for his killings and has no wish to stop killing. Oliver matured and evolved, while Diaz never matured or evolved.)

-- On what they would have in their secret base, JS said that his secret base would have a PlayStation 4, a Chick-fil-A, a Panda Express, a wrestling ring, a speaker, a television, and a "bouncy house." KC said that her secret base would be in Thailand and that she'd be in a cave "probably developing some kind of crypto currency" and that she'd have a lot of computers and electronics. KA said that he liked Panda Express, but would also add a Starbucks and table ice hockey.

-- On who they thought did the most damage to Oliver, JS: "Oliver."

-- If she gets to be in the crossover episode next season, on what it would be like working with Caity Lotz again, KC: "Ah, I love Caity Lotz. I would love that. That would be - honestly, as girls, we're all actually very close friends and, you know, we actually - I've roomed with both of them, 'cause we're in Vancouver. So I would love that. I mean, I feel it would be really fun." She added that it was "refreshing" to go to other sets.

-- JS: "You get what's on the page, and what's on the page is already really cool. So that our job is to take what's on that page and bring it to life in the most interesting way we can possibly do. That comes with our acting partners, that comes with our directors, and that comes with the preparation that we bring to it.(***) So with these characters that we've gotten the honor to play, it's always just - dude, for me, it was almost exactly like a pro-wrestling match half the time, to be honest with you. Like, I was dreaming about what it would be like to play opposite this dude that I've been watching on TV. Steve's - Steve - 210, solid muscle. Okay? That's the fastest, strongest dude I've ever met in my life, alright? So when you see that and you come up against that, you're just [unintelligible word], 'okay, where can I manipulate this situation to seem powerful?' So for Chase, it was the brain. You know? I was always 10 steps ahead. You know? So that was a very key line for me - was we always have to make sure that we're moving forward... For Chase and for Oliver - I've said this at another con - the truth is, I think Chase was in love with Oliver. And, you know, you can laugh at that, but I think he was madly in love with that dude. And was mad that he wouldn't pay attention to him, and was mad that he didn't respect him, was mad that he didn't come to me for help. You know, all those little things in your brain come out when you're in a very normal conversation with somebody. How we do in our real lives. So this character is that, you know, and it's the difference between this guy and Billy [his character in Sirens?]. Billy is an enlightened individual. Billy liked to learn about life, you know. So that's how the villains are."

(*** These JS comments were refreshing, considering that, in this same panel, KC said that she likes to play against what's written and against the dialogue, while KA basically dissed the writers.)
 

Edited June 4, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

More from Christchuch Armageddon this weekend...

[tv echo]

Next weekend's cons/events...

Heroes Assemble Convention, June 9-10, 2018 (Paris, France)
Willa Holland (also Arthur Darvill, Chyler Leigh, Jeremy Jordan and Katie McGrath)
http://www.empire-conventions.fr/heroes_assemble.html

Wizard World Columbus, June 8-10, 2018 (OH)
John Barrowman, Matt Ryan and Sean Maher
https://wizardworld.com/comiccon/columbus

POPSUGAR Playground, June 9-10, 2018 (New York, NY)
(Caity Lotz and Candice Patton, speakers)
http://www.popsugarplayground.com/Talent/

TrevorLIVE New York, June 11, 2018 (New York, NY)
Greg Berlanti (Hero Award Honoree) - fundraising event starts at 6:00 pm
https://ny.trevorlive.org/special-guests

[SmallScreenDiva]

Wouldn't Mavi be a little too young for that scene?!?! :P

[statsgirl]

1 hour ago, tv echo said:

KA also said that the tattoo/scars have to be "scrubbed off" which leaves "sores.

Why doesn't he just leave them on then? He likes to act like he's a big tough guy. And I don't think he has the right to be pissy when SA has to get a lot more scars and tattoos for the shirtless scenes.

KA strikes me as a guy who just doesn't get it.  (s it wrong to talk about cognitive complexity?) Did he forget the DDD burned a man alive who bullied him 30 years ago or was that okay?

JS's replies really were a breath of fresh air.

1 hour ago, tv echo said:

(* I think it's interesting that when the mod asked about the cruelest thing their characters have done, without specifying Black Canary or Black Siren, KC immediately thought of original Laurel and completely skipped over her current role of BS and all the cruel things that BS has done.)

In her head, she's still Laurel E1, even when she's on a Villain's panel.

Edited June 4, 2018 by statsgirl

[apinknightmare]

16 minutes ago, SmallScreenDiva said:

Wouldn't Mavi be a little too young for that scene?!?! :P

 

What a strange reference for a tweet involving your kid!

[SmallScreenDiva]

31 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

In her head, she's still Laurel E1, even when she's on a Villain's panel.

In her head, she's also still the leading lady, which is why she'll be front and center and right next to SA again at SDCC.

[Trisha]

12 hours ago, JamieLynn832002 said:

I really don't put much stock in anything coming from that site. I know there were apparently posts about Weinstein before the news broke but I'd been hearing/reading about him for years while living in small town Illinois with no connection to the entertainment industry so I don't really give that too much credit. I'm sure SA isn't perfect but most of the blinds are so crazypants that it's hard to believe any of them.

It's a tough call -- Enty has broken HUGE stories in the past and had been talking about a bunch of the MeToo guys for years before anything broke (Spacey, Leto, Louis CK, etc.) But he openly admits to throwing in false blinds to keep people off balance and/or cover his butt. Plus, he is a traffic chaser and he quickly realized that his Arrow-related blinds pull in a lot of views. I like how Lainey always describes it: gossip is a buffet and you choose to consume/belief what you like. Personally, I agree with what @Mary0360 said. SA seems very nice and professional at cons, but judging by some of his social media meltdowns and all of the stuff that's coming out in Hollywood in general lately, learning that he isn't always the greatest wouldn't shock me.

Meanwhile, looks like he's going off social media for a while:

[Mary0360]

4 minutes ago, Trisha said:

 

Meanwhile, looks like he's going off social media for a while:

It might have something to do with the reaction to this:

I don't think he meant to be ignorant, but boy does he have a habit of putting his foot in his mouth. 

[Trisha]

2 minutes ago, Mary0360 said:

I don't think he meant to be ignorant, but boy does he have a habit of putting his foot in his mouth. 

His jokes today are NOT landing. First that, then the awkward Ghost caption with his kid. He even removed his Twitter profile pic & cover, and his Facebook cover image. Dramatic much?

This was very cute, though:

[Guest]

I've never known someone who professes to hate Twitter use it as much as SA has while on vacation. I bet his "hiatus" lasts 2 days, if that. ??