Former Arrow star Stephen Amell has kept fans up to date on the progress of his upcoming Starz wrestling drama, Heels, and now he’s offering up a major update. The first episode of the series is officially done and it’s one that Amell describes as a “real back breaker”. In a post to Twitter on Friday, Amell shared the production update, prompting fans to speculate exactly what he meant by “back breaker” — a reference to a real injury, a wrestling move, or perhaps even both — a valid question given the actor has always been vocal about performing his own stunts on the series.
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“Now that it’s done, I can honestly say that the first episode of Heels was a real back breaker,” Amell wrote on Twitter.
Now that it’s done, I can honestly say that the first episode of Heels was a real back breaker.
— Stephen Amell (@StephenAmell) February 20, 2021
Amell’s first series after playing Oliver Queen/Green Arrow on The CW’s Arrow for eight seasons, Heels was first announced in August 2019 and like many projects in the entertainment industry endured some delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Production officially got underway last fall, though it hasn’t been without its challenges. Amell revealed on an episode of Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast last year that he had battled a COVID-19 infection himself, something that he worried would derail the series. Amell also sustained a back injury on the set of Heels, something that took him from set for a bit though production on the series continued during his recovery.
“While performing a stunt on the set of Heels this week, Stephen Amell sustained an injury to his back,” a statement from Starz read at the time. “Following a medical evaluation, he is now resting and recovering at home in anticipation of his return to set. Production continues as Stephen recuperates.”
Since then, Amell has been hard at work on the series, posting various updates including a “bloody” look at what he called the “Top 5 day” he’s ever had on set and more recently a short video of himself trying out a Blood Flow Restriction Workout that had him screaming in pain.
The series, set in a close-knit Georgia community, follows a family-owned wrestling program as two brothers and rivals — one of them played by Amell — war over their late father’s legacy. Joining Amell in the series are co-stars Mary McCormack (ABC’s The Kids Are Alright) and Hunger Games actor Alexander Ludwig among others.
You can check out the official description of Heels below.
“Written by Michael Waldron (Loki), with Mike O’Malley set as showrunner, Heels is about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals — one of them played by Amell — war over their late father’s legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy, and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel (Amell). But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.”
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