'Arrow' Season 4 News, Spoilers: Paul Blackthorne Was In A 'Dark Place' Following Black Canary's Death; EP Talks Diversity
While many were saddened over the death of Laurel Lance/Black Canary (Katie Cassidy) in the current season of The CW's "Arrow," actor Paul Blackthorne, who plays Laurel's onscreen father, Quentin Lance, said that he found himself in a "dark place" after the character's passing.
"It's pretty taxing," the actor told PEOPLE about the show's "Canary Cry" episode, which featured Laurel's funeral. "You sort of go into a dark place for a few weeks."
"It's pretty heavy on a personal level for a few weeks," he added. "When that last scene sort of happens and then you're done, you sort of realize how heavy it was after it was done. It's pretty exhausting."
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According to Blackthorne, he was "very sad" when he learned about Cassidy's death on the show, as he and the actress had developed a "very special" working relationship on "Arrow." As the actor told PEOPLE, he hoped that the on-screen chemistry between them, a result of years of working together as father and daughter, had been reflected on the screen.
Just as Blackthorne dealt with Cassidy's departure from the superhero series, his "Arrow" character, Quentin, was also struggling with the death of Laurel in "Canary Cry." In the episode, Quentin tried to find a way to bring his daughter back to life, something other "Arrow" characters, including his other daughter Sara (Caity Lotz), have done before.
According to Blackthorne, Quentin's grief will stay with him for some time, but he will have some distractions, including a new romance. The actor shared that it has "been beatufiul" exploring the relationship between Quentin and Donna Smoak ("NYPD Blue" alum Charlotte Ross).
Meanwhile, "Arrow" executive producer Greg Berlanti was honored at the inaugural Alliance of Women Directors awards on Thursday, April 28, in Los Angeles, for his work on breaking down the barriers against female and diverse directors on Hollywood sets.
As Berlanti told the audience, at least 50 percent of the "Arrow" episodes were directed by either female or non-white directors.
"Everyone was in agreement, our directors needed to be as balanced as the writing staff, and the actors, and the stories we were telling," Berlanti said (via Entertainment Weekly). "Not just because it was the right thing to do. Diversity is not a burden, it's just smart business. It actually makes the shows better and more successful. New and different voices make for better storytelling."
"Arrow" airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.
