Stephen Amell might be known for his role as Oliver Queen, however, he's Arrow no more. The Canadian actor officially left the series following eight successful seasons, breaking the hearts of many Arrowverse fans.
Despite his departure from the show, Stephen is moving on to bigger and better things after he landed a new role in a comedy short, Speech & Debate, which was actually written by Stephen's wife, Cassandra Jean Amell.
While fans are happy for the actor and his newest ventures, it's no surprise that many are still getting over him leaving Arrow for good. So, what really led to Stephen's decision to leave? Let's jump in!
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Why Stephen Amell Left The Arrowverse
Stephen Amell landed his breakout role back in 2012 as Arrow/Oliver Queen, in the hit series, Arrow. While he happily played the Arrowverse star, it occurred to him that his time on the series would be coming to an end, however, he made this decision a lot sooner than fans thought.
While Amell portrayed the character well into season 8, he had actually made his mind up to leave the show back in its sixth season! Stephen had originally asked to be written out by season 7, however, show creator, Greg Berlanti, had a whole other idea in mind.
In an interview with TV Line, Amell revealed that the decision came about in season six, "over the Christmas break, it was time to be done, and I broached the subject with Greg Berlanti," he shared.
"He and I talked for about a month before formally notifying Mark Pedowitz [CW president]...I assumed that [the show] was going to end at the end of season 7, but Greg's smarter than me, and he had a really good idea about a limited run in season 8," Stephen revealed.
Although the decision came about sooner, fans were thrilled to know that Stephen Amell would be finishing the series off a little later, however, they were interested in knowing what led to his decision.
Related: Stephen Amell’s Flight Gets Stopped Following Huge Public Fight With His Wife
Stephen Left 'Arrow' For Family Time
When it came to his work schedule on Arrow, Stephen Amell just didn't want to spend time away from his family any longer.
In 2012, the same year Stephen began shooting the hit series, he married his wife, Cassandra Jean Amel. The model and actor met Stephen years prior, and actually eloped to the Caribbean before having an official ceremony with friends and family.
The duo welcomed their daughter, Maverick Alexandra Jean Amell in 2013, and Stephen knew that as she grows up, it'd be best for him to be around much more.
During a Facebook Live, the actor revealed that spending time with his family is his main priority, sharing, "'A large part of this decision is because I'm now a father and a husband and a lot of my life and interests don't really reside in Vancouver anymore and thinking that's the best thing for me personally and professionally."
Although fans miss him dearly since his 2019 departure, however, they're happy to see him spending family time with Cassandra and their little one, which the star is no stranger to sharing on his Instagram.
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