Katie Cassidy opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of her character's untimely death on 'Arrow' and her eventual revival, crediting fans for her triumphant return.
- March 19, 2025
AceShowbiz - Katie Cassidy's journey on the CW superhero series "Arrow" has been a tumultuous one. Starting off as Laurel Lance (Black Canary), Cassidy's character met an unexpected demise in the show's fourth season.
Recalling her experience on the "Inside of You" with Michael Rosenbaum podcast, Cassidy shared, "I had to eat some humble pie when they killed me off that show. It was really hard."
The actress revealed that she only found out about her character's death a couple of days before it was scheduled to be filmed in 2016. She described her initial reaction as one of shock and sadness.
This unexpected news came when she was traveling to a comic convention in New York City, and she found herself in a surreal position of maintaining public composure while processing her character's fate.
"I was angry at first," Cassidy admitted. "And I was emotional because I was sad, and I was angry because I was so happy." She has theories about the reasons behind the decision to kill off Laurel Lance, suspecting that "it was political. It's a lot."
Cassidy expressed a sense of being treated unfairly and recalled telling producers, "I feel like I've always been given the short end of the stick and I have to go."
Despite her disappointment, Cassidy's love for the character and the show remained unwavering. Her passion and dedication eventually led to a silver lining. Cassidy was later invited to guest star on "The Flash" as the Black Siren, a role she eagerly accepted.
"I was like, 'Yes!'," she recalled telling producer Marc Guggenheim. He acknowledged the potential blunder in killing her character and offered her a return as a series regular. "I think we may have made a mistake," he admitted, leading to Cassidy's ultimate return to the series.
Reflecting on her journey, Cassidy credited the fans for their unwavering support, which was instrumental in reviving her role. "I had the support of the fans because that Flash episode I went on … ratings, I guess, were great," she noted.
Although it was a challenging experience, Cassidy's story is one of resilience and triumph, underscored by her passion for her role and the encouragement from her dedicated fanbase. "And then I was back and like better than ever and happy," she concluded.
