Fresh off a small role in Taken, Katie Cassidy was one of the most recognizable faces in the cast of Arrow when the show launched just over two years ago. Playing Dinah Laurel Lance, she was immediately assumed to be a Black Canary-in-waiting…and then the waiting just kept going.
Eventually, Laurel’s sister Sara — not a character from the comic book source material — was brought in to play the role of Canary and with Oliver’s romantic interests directed primarily at Felicity Smoak, some fans wondered just what role Cassidy was set to play on the hit series.
The same as ever, it turns out. This season has revolved largely around the death of Sara and Laurel’s subsequent transformation into a new, less well-trained and more tech-savvy Black Canary. We got to see her in action and in costume for the first time last week, in the first of what showrunners have described as a “Canary Trilogy,” the second installment of which airs tonight.
Cassidy joined us to discuss the series, her years of waiting for a chance in the mask and just how she handles online fans and critics in a show that’s got such a passionate base.
You’ve seemed really excited about your character and your story in recent interviews. Do you feel like you’re about to enter a really good status quo for Laurel?
Yeah! I mean, look: As an actor, I remember when I met with Greg and Marc and Andrew about this show before we shot the pilot that this is where this character was going to go. That was definitely a huge thing for me. I wanted to do action, I wanted to stay with Warner Bros. and CW and I loved the fact that this character had this journey that she would go on but I didn’t necessarily know how long it would take or what the journey would look like.I don’t think they did, either; they just knew eventually at some point that Laurel would turn into the Black Canary. When that would be…who knows? They assumed Season One or Two, but you’re shooting a show and things change and you’re trying to find your footing and what’s working and what’s not. I think it’s smart that every character has to earn their suit or their costume. You can’t just overnight all of a sudden be a superhero. You have to go through things and hit your rock bottom and then be able to come out on top and build character and be strong.
Credit: comicbook.com
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