Over the weekend, Rickards, who plays Felicity Smoak on the CW adventure series, announced in a poem on Instagram that she will depart the series after the current seventh season.
“The time has come to talk of many memes. Of bows and arrows and superheroes and Olicity and Queens And why TGA is so damn hot And yes, canaries need more scenes… But wait just one minute before we go and do all that For this makes me out of breath To have this not small chat,” she began, alongside multiple heart emojis.
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“She was a co-worker that became a best friend. So on the first day of our last episode together, I’d like everyone to know how deeply I appreciate the past seven years. EmBett,” he wrote. “We wouldn’t be here without you. I love you. And I cannot wait to see what you do next.”
Dean Buscher/The CW
In a joint statement, executive producers Greg Berlanti and Beth Schwartz voiced their support for Rickards’ decision to leave the show.
At the beginning of March,Amell announcedduring aFacebook Live streamthat the superhero drama would be coming to an end after its eighth season.
In his emotional explanation, the Canadian-born actor that has been playing the titular role of Oliver Queen/Green Arrow since 2012, said that being away from his Los Angeles- based family played a major factor in his difficult decision.
“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,” Amell explained as he fought back tears.
The actor shared that he initially brought up the idea of stepping away from the show to Berlanti towards the end of the sixth season in May 2018.
“I approached Greg Berlanti and said that I thought both personally and professionally that at the end of my commitment this coming season, it would be the best for me to move on,” he said, adding that when the time came, he wanted to go out with a bang.
“I’ve always been a fan of television shows that not only don’t overstay their welcome but end in a manner that really packs a punch,” Amell continued. “It had always been my hope that we would know when we were going to finish this journey and not limp to the finish line, so to speak.”
After discussing things with Berlanti, Amell said they decided that he would return for a final,10-episode season 8 runpremiering this fall. At this time, no date has been set for its premiere.
Arrowairs Mondays (9 p.m. ET) on CW.
source: people.com
