Heels Star Stephen Amell Dismisses SAG-AFTRA Strike As "Frustrating"

As the SAG-AFTRA strike continues into its third week, union member Stephen Amell has spoken out against the strike during a convention appearance, Variety reports. Despite saying he supports and stands with his union, the actor also called striking a "reductive negotiating tactic" and "myopic."

During an appearance at Galaxycon in Raleigh, N.C., Amell was asked about the ongoing strike. "I support my union, I do. And I stand with them," he prefaced. "I do not support striking. I don't. I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic."

In footage that has been widely shared on social media, Amell shares: "I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating, and I think that the thinking as it pertains to shows, like the show I'm on that premiered last night, I think it's myopic."

The show Amell is referring to is pro wrestling show Heels, which premiered its second season on Friday night. The appearance at Galaxycon was not explicitly billed as a promotional event for Heels, with all actors guesting at the event having simple bios that don't list past or current projects. A note on the convention website also adds that fans will be unable to ask questions during guest panels due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

It's worth noting, a week earlier Amell and Arrow co-star David Ramsey appeared at Montreal Comiccon on a panel and discussed Arrow, even though Amell made it clear from the beginning that they weren't supposed to, due to the rules of SAG-AFTRA's strike. You can see video of that panel below.

For his part, Amell has used social media in an attempt to explain himself further, writing, "Understandably, there has been a lot of reaction to the comments I made this weekend about our strike. To ensure there is no misunderstanding about my thoughts and intentions I’m providing what I actually said and clarity/context to ensure my feelings aren’t unintentionally misinterpreted. We all know soundbites can be taken out of context and I have too much respect for my fellow union members to not clarify the record." You can read his point-by-point breakdown of his own words here.

Stephen Amell is currently the highest profile actor who has spoken out against the strike, which union members voted for unanimously on July 13. Many of Hollywood's biggest names have been active on picket lines in support of the strike, including the entire cast of Oppenheimer, who left their own premiere to join the strike.

Editor's note: The above story has been edited to include Amell's response.