When Calls The Heart's Stephen Amell Walks Back Controversial Thoughts On Actors' Strike

Stephen Amell has come under fire for comments that he made about the actors' strike, which began in mid-July, and he's now taking a minute to explain what he meant. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amell's remarks made it seem as though he does not support the ongoing strike — which would understandably cause some friction among his colleagues. "I support my union, I do, and I stand with them but I do not support striking. I don't," Amell said at Raleigh's GalaxyCon. After receiving some pushback from his co-stars, the "When Calls the Heart" actor shared a lengthy post clarifying his comments. He did so by breaking down what he said in a lengthy caption uploaded on Instagram on August 1. 

Firstly, Amell made it clear that he "supports [his] union." He went on to say that his comments about not supporting the strike were taken out of context. "Of course I don't like striking. Nobody does. But we have to do what we have to do," he said. From there, Amell explained that the strike, while it may be valid, is "emotionally frustrating on many levels for all involved," which he says he was trying to convey with his original statement. With the release of Season 2 of "Heels," Amell says that he's "sad" that he's not able to "celebrate" it due to what's going on within the union. Despite his attempt to set the record straight, however, many people are coming down on him in the comments section of his post. 

Stephen Amell has amassed a solid fan base stemming from his time on "Arrow." He's been a staple in the Arrowverse franchise ever since, and has appeared in various related shows, including "Supergirl" and "Batwoman." Regardless of his following (an impressive 6.8 million on Instagram), Amell was called out by quite a few social media users after he tried to walk back his comments about the actors' strike. "Buddy you said what you said. You have already broke the rules of the strike by promoting your show. Own it and don't act like you didn't say what said," one Instagram user wrote. "Thanks Stephen. But what'd be really meaningful would be an unequivocal apology — and showing up in person on the picket lines in solidarity with your fellow actors," another Instagram user added.

Though Amell may want to lay low for a bit following this controversy, it sounds like he may make a move to show his support of the strike after all. "When you see me on a picket line please don't whip any hard fruit," he wrote in a comment on his own Instagram post.  

While filming of many shows has shut down due to the strike, "When Calls the Heart" has resumed production on Season 11 after receiving a SAG-AFTRA waiver.