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NBC Insider Suits: L.A.

Everything to Know About Suits: L.A. Star Stephen Amell From Arrow to the WWE

After weeks of speculation, the Suits spinoff locked down Stephen Amell as its first star.

By Chris Phelan

Rumblings about the casting of the upcoming series Suits: L.A. have been whispered throughout Hollywood over the past few weeks now the first actor to sign on is officially locked in!

To borrow a phrase from Suits star Patrick J. Adams: Stephen Amell, welcome to the Suits-iverse!

RELATED: Suits: L.A. Casts Stephen Amell in Lead Role

Stephen Amell Joins the Cast of Suits: L.A.

Stephen Amell wears a backwards hat at the FilmRise's "MVP" Red Carpet Premiere

Amell is the first actor to officially sign on to the highly-anticipated new series. The actor referenced the big news on social media and alluded to his past success in television.

"I know a thing or two about building a universe," he cheekily captioned, referring to his time as the star of The CW's Arrow

Amell will be playing the lead, Ted Black, in the upcoming series. According to producers, Ted's character is best described as a "force of nature." Interestingly enough, Ted will be someone who puts his needs above those of others – which is a captivating twist on the usual Suits formula that fans have grown to love over the years!

Who is Stephen Amell?

Stephen Amell wears a denim jacket during the 92nd y event for heels

Without a doubt, the 42-year-old Stephen Amell is best known for his immersive portrayal of Oliver Queen in the CW series Arrow. From 2012 to 2020, Amell turned Arrow from a little-known DC Comics franchise into a bonafide hit, spawning numerous spinoffs like The FlashSupergirl and more. We here at NBC Insider are confident that Amell will treat the world of Suits with the same respect he brought to the Arrowverse. At the very least, we're positive fans are already salivating over seeing him in a well-fitted suit every episode!

Amell most recently starred in the Starz drama Heels, which revolved around two brothers competing for fame and respect in the world of small-time independent professional wrestling. Longtime fans will also recall Amell having memorable guest roles in shows like New GirlBlue Mountain State, and Private Practice, but it's safe to say that playing Ted Black will be his most recognizable role yet. Although he is mostly known for his TV work, Amell has done some films, most notably the 2016 sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows where he played the iconic TMNT character, Casey Jones. 

Amell is also quite the wrestling fan, and longtime members of the WWE Universe may remember his rivalry against Cody Rhodes back in the mid-2010s. While many celebrities and actors shy away from physical contact when they enter the world of sports entertainment, Amell did the opposite in 2015. As it turns out, Amell fits in perfectly with the eccentric cast of characters found every week on Monday Night Raw.

Fans of the actor shouldn't be surprised at his success inside the ring (which culminated in an actual honest-to-goodness tag team match at WWE's SummerSlam 2015 event) – he managed to stun the world with his remarkable athletic abilities during the first-ever celebrity episode of American Ninja Warrior in 2017.

Who is Stephen Amell's Wife?

Stephen Amell and Cassandra Jean pose for a photo at the premiere of the new STARZ series "Heels"

Amell married America's Next Top Model alum Cassandra Jean in 2012, right around the time he was getting popular for the first season of Arrow. One year later in 2013 they welcomed their daughter Maverick to the world. Since then, they've had another child, a boy named Bowen Auguste in 2022. 

If the cast of Suits: L.A. is destined to include top-notch talent like Stephen Amell, we must admit that our expectations for the spinoff are now sky-high. We can't wait to see who fills out the rest of the cast – and perhaps more importantly, we can't wait to see Amell's portrayal of the charismatic Ted Black.

For Suits fans craving new episodes, the wait for Suits: L.A. will be unbearable.

But something tells us that it'll be worth it. 

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