Oliver's Poor Acting skills

[Asun882]

Is anyone else annoyed with the way stephen amell's acting? It is so dry. He's emotions are so flat, the only emotions he exhibits well are angry, and pain. When he's talking to other people like his mother, or his sister his face remains so rigid and emotionless. Not only is it annoying, but seriously? Who talks like that? Wheres the humor, the laughing? I've never seen oliver laugh before maybe he's done it a couple times, but it probably was barely more than a forced "smile" or chuckle.

What's more annoying is that oliver can't seem to get along with his mother for the reason that she has many secrets and lies. Well.... look who's talking. How many times has oliver lied to his sister, his mother, and step-dad about what he's doing, or going? He's the green arrow for heaven sakes, he's lied up a storm to "protect" his family just as his mom has done over the years. He shouldn't be such a butt hole... sometimes I think he gets so caught up in his own priorities and suffering that he forgets that others have emotions and also experience pain.

Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions?

[markom97]

I honestly don't think that Stephen Amell acting as Oliver Queen are poor, infact i think he acts on a pretty deep emotional level as Oliver ! and here's why...

Stephen Amell is supposed to act full of pain,anger,etc (not all the time but most of the time) because he has a horrible dark past and this show is mainly portrayed as a drama and about Oliver and his horrible dark past that made him into Green Arrow and his quest with Team Arrow (like there is room for comedy and all, but mainly it about Oliver's secret about being a vigilante) and i completely disagree with you when you said Stephen's acting is annoying.

Oliver can't get along with his mother Moira, because Oliver's own blood, his mother, basically killed Oliver's father, forced Oliver to be on the hellish island of Lian Yu, forge Oliver into a killing machine weapon, and have to deal with killing people, and Oliver lies about his secret to everyone around him so he can protect them and keep them away from his secret and dangers because he loves them deeply! and all of Moiras' lies are not for the good of people and Star City (as Oliver's lies about being the Arrow are good, because his aims are protecting the people of his city from the bad guys who are destroying this city) but Moira's secrets are about how she killed Oliver's father, forced Oliver to live on a hellish island for 5 years, i guess you can argue that Moira was lying to protect her family, but so is Oliver in a sense, so im one of those people who is in the middle...

[deathstroke79]

I like Stephen Amell's acting. Maybe I'm being biased since I really like him irl (I follow him on facebook and he's a really genuine guy who interacts with his fans) anyways, I agree with your point with Moira and Oliver, but at least Oliver is lying about something good, the fact that he saves the city. However, Moira on the other hand, is hiding evil things such as the undertaking, Malcolm Merlin, Thea's father, etc.

[Rob14]

First of all, I think there's a huge difference between the lies Ollie tells and the secrets he lives with day to day, and the lies and secrets that his mother tells and lives with on the same basis. Ollie doesn't keep his identity as Arrow a secret because he enjoys it; he does it because anyone and everyone who knows who he is and what he does, especially those who work with him regularly, or who have worked with him, are targets for anybody who hates the Starling City vigilante.
Just to show you that Ollie is not being hypocritical by keeping his secrets and telling his lies, I'll explain why I feel that Moira does what she does. In Season One, and for approximately five years before the opening scene of the pilot episode, Moira Queen was involved with a major conspiracy (The Undertaking), which she claimed to be involved with because of threats to her life and the lives of her children. Fact: Oliver went missing for five years and was presumed — and even declared — dead. Fact: Moira knew since Thea was a small child that she was not Robert Queen's daughter, but Malcolm Merlyn's. Presumption: based upon his own words to Tommy in "Dead to Rights", and moreover because of his actions in that same episode with regard to Tommy during the assassination attempt, we may infer that Malcolm truly did love his son and indeed wanted the best for him.
So, what does all this mean? Well, it means simply that Moira used Thea as an excuse not to move against Malcolm's Undertaking for nearly five years. She also kept the truth about Thea's father secret during her trial this season, in an attempt to win sympathy from the jury and make herself appear to be, at the least, a caring and concerned mother. But would Malcolm really have harmed his daughter, if Moira had revealed that to him? There's no way of knowing for sure, but based on his actions in "Dead to Rights", in making certain that Tommy was safe, and even executing a man who put a gun in his son's face, I'd say it's highly improbable that Thea would have been in any real danger.
That's the difference. Moira lies and keeps secrets to protect herself and/or gain leverage in a situation. Ollie lies and keeps secrets to protect those he loves and who, knowing his secrets, would thus become targets for anyone who may have the Arrow in their cross-hairs. Not saying Ollie doesn't keep secrets to protect himself as well (after all, not everyone should be trusted *COUGH* Helena *COUGH* to know his secret identity), but that's not the sole motivation for him.

As for your other point, I actually quite enjoy Stephen Amell's performance in this series. I don't think he's a "great" actor, and nor do I feel that he was born to play Oliver Queen/Green Arrow. Nor am I saying the converse here. Arrow is still a "young" series, if you take my meaning, and I'm not at all familiar with Stephen Amell as an actor outside of the series. It's hard (and not altogether fair) to judge an actor's performance based on one series or film. I guess what I'm saying is that I feel the writers and cast deserve time to build upon the characters they write and portray, respectively.
One thing I love about Stephen A. is that he's... a bit of a fitness junkie, like myself. What you see him doing in the series — the various workout routines, including, primarily, the "salmon ladder", and much of the stunt-work — he's actually doing. I think that shows determination and dedication on his part. But, of course, he certainly isn't the only actor on the show who's in good/great shape.

[Rob14]

I honestly don't think that Stephen Amell acting as Oliver Queen are poor, infact i think he acts on a pretty deep emotional level as Oliver ! and here's why...

Stephen Amell is supposed to act full of pain,anger,etc (not all the time but most of the time) because he has a horrible dark past and this show is mainly portrayed as a drama and about Oliver and his horrible dark past that made him into Green Arrow and his quest with Team Arrow (like there is room for comedy and all, but mainly it about Oliver's secret about being a vigilante) and i completely disagree with you when you said Stephen's acting is annoying.

Oliver can't get along with his mother Moira, because Oliver's own blood, his mother, basically killed Oliver's father, forced Oliver to be on the hellish island of Lian Yu, forge Oliver into a killing machine weapon, and have to deal with killing people, and Oliver lies about his secret to everyone around him so he can protect them and keep them away from his secret and dangers because he loves them deeply! and all of Moiras' lies are not for the good of people and Star City (as Oliver's lies about being the Arrow are good, because his aims are protecting the people of his city from the bad guys who are destroying this city) but Moira's secrets are about how she killed Oliver's father, forced Oliver to live on a hellish island for 5 years, i guess you can argue that Moira was lying to protect her family, but so is Oliver in a sense, so im one of those people who is in the middle...

I agree with you for the most part. But, to be fair, we don't really know how soon Moira's involvement with The Undertaking began. We do know that Frank Chen arranged for a bomb to be hidden on the Queen's Gambit, and that he thus betrayed Robert Queen (who had earlier confided in Frank when he began taking measures against The Undertaking).
It is for this very reason that I, although not a Moira-fan myself, don't blame her too heavily for betraying Frank to Malcolm Merlyn. She of course was in no way being noble, and deserves no respect for her treachery and her cowardice. But Frank ultimately deserved what happened to him for his own faithlessness to Moira's first husband.

[Quark]

Wheres the humor, the laughing? I've never seen oliver laugh before maybe he's done it a couple times, but it probably was barely more than a forced "smile" or chuckle.

Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions?

As far as I recall the only time I've seen Oliver genuinely laugh was in one of the Huntress episodes. Oliver and Diggle were talking in the restaurant where Diggle's sister-in-law works. Can't remember what Diggle said to Oliver though...

I do think it is in character for Oliver to not be humorous or laugh a lot. Since Day 1 of the show, Oliver has always been an immensely tragic character. I think it would be out of character for Oliver to start telling jokes and just chill. His entire being is taking out the bad guys of the city to save it because his dead Father told him too and Oliver killed his dead best friends Father and lied to him about it (kind of). Not the makings of a happy character.

[Rob14]

As far as I recall the only time I've seen Oliver genuinely laugh was in one of the Huntress episodes. Oliver and Diggle were talking in the restaurant where Diggle's sister-in-law works. Can't remember what Diggle said to Oliver though...

I do think it is in character for Oliver to not be humorous or laugh a lot. Since Day 1 of the show, Oliver has always been an immensely tragic character. I think it would be out of character for Oliver to start telling jokes and just chill. His entire being is taking out the bad guys of the city to save it because his dead Father told him too and Oliver killed his dead best friends Father and lied to him about it (kind of). Not the makings of a happy character.

I can just see Oliver next season cracking very lame jokes every time he apprehends a bad guy! Like telling an apprehended bank robber in a very dramatic tone that "crime doesn't pay," or shooting someone with an arrow, or multiple arrows, and then saying nonchalantly, "I guess he got my point." That would be about the time I quit watching this show... forever. And then cry .

I think I recall the scene you're talking about with Ollie and Diggle. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it confused me a little. Dig just reaches for some fries that Ollie offers him, and then both start laughing... but I think that was a little earlier than even the first Huntress episodes... maybe episode four or five.

[Anu]

Well, wasn't Smallville's Oliver Queen stranded on an island for 5 years? And probably had the same experience? Yet Justin Hartley showed him in a different manner. I do agree that Stephen Amell's Oliver does come around as a bit of a stiff character and kind of boring. I hope that changes though. Even Batman/Bruce Wayne in Dark knight series was more emotional and funnier, even though it was a drama movie.

[Bomfunk]

Unfortunately, it's true. Zero emotion on his face. Justin Hartley is much better for this role.

[Caught_In_The_Sun]

His acting is fine. This isn't Smallville or even Batman Begins, thank God! Amell is doing fine.

[Anu]

His acting is fine. This isn't Smallville or even Batman Begins, thank God! Amell is doing fine.

He can still show a lot more emotion, so that fans can connect with him. I kind of like that they showed that on the island, but that doesn't show on present day.

[Caught_In_The_Sun]

He shows alot of emotion with Felicity, Diggle, Roy!

I am fine with him...I know people have different opinions.

[Thailog]

I have to disagree with the original poster since I love what Stephen Amell is doing with his character. For me, he strikes the perfect balance between the dark, brooding vigilante persona and the rich playboy Oliver Queen.

Stephen makes it very clear how different Oliver was before the island, how he changed during his time on the island and how he's been changing again since he got back home. This is especially evident when we have flashbacks from all three different points in time during one episode. Furthermore, as others have mentioned, Oliver does show a wider range of emotions when he's around the main cast, especially with Felicity. If you need an example, just take a look at their last scene together at the end of "Keep your enemies closer".

FWIW, I watched Smallville and I liked Justin's portrayal of Oliver there as well. However, this show is quite different from Smallville, and I really can't imagine anyone who would do the job as well as Stephen here.

[BoyScout-ManOfTomorrow]

Based on Season 1 I'd say Amell's alright in the island scenes. He seems like a real human being. But when the story comes back to present day...the acting's really bad. I get that it would be dramatizing so when Ollie get's back he'd be different. I get what Amell's going for but for me it doesn't work. Flat expressions, flat delivery of lines, flat mannerisms.

[Anu]

The big problem is that a tv show is supposed to show another life. And other people/characters, and I doubt that anyone can say that they have seen anyone act like Oliver has? I can't remember anyone talking like that in real life