Mikel OD had a chance to check out Katie Cassidy at the Motor City Comic Con.
Motor City Comic Con for 2014 has come and gone in a blur of comics, celebrities and cosplay. I can’t recall a con in the Detroit area having as many “A List” Hollywood stars. We had William Shatner, who needs no point of reference, Karl Urban from Dredd and even Scott Wilson, Hershel of the Walking Dead. I got the chance to see and meet many of them but the one I came away the most impressed upon meeting was Katie Cassidy, Laurel Lance on the hit show Arrow.
One look at Katie Cassidy, who is absolutely stunningly beautiful, and it’s easy to see why she might be the one that caught my attention. However, it was after listening to her panel and seeing her playful interaction with fans that my full appreciation for her talents deepened. A few examples of her generosity toward her fans included a fan that made her a set of cat ears which she wore for the rest of the day and during the panel she recalled her fans names and gave out hugs.
Let’s start with Katie’s upbringing. Her father is David Cassidy. Yes, that David Cassidy of Partridge Family, 70s pop star and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. So, while she may come across as down to earth with girl next door appeal, she grew up in a household that was probably not as near as typical as ours.
Katie’s had several roles in movies and TV Shows before playing Laurel Lance on Arrow. You’ve probably seen her in a past role without realizing it was her. She was the original Ruby/Lilth on Supernatural in seasons 3. She recalled that it was a tough role for her because Jared Padalecki and Jenson Ackles would joke with her on the side of the set during her parts. During her time filming “Click” with Adam Sandler, she recounted the time she was told filming that day would be delayed a few hours because “Adam is playing basketball and getting McDonalds with his buddies.” On Gossip Girl she didn’t recall too much besides loving the fashion and filming in New York.
One show Katie was on that I'd like to go back and revisit is Harper's Island. On the show most of the cast is killed off throughout the season by a mystery serial killer. Katie was on pins and needles the entire time, not knowing when she would be killed but certain it was coming at any time. She remembered the day the director called and didn’t even bother to ask why.
Katie enjoys her role as Laurel Lance on Arrow very much but can understand why fans may have been frustrated with her character in season 2. She summed up the season with “I know Laurel came off as a whiner but this was a year of transition for her and next year she is going to kick some ass!” For Katie, Laurel is a complicated and challenging role as she has both action and extremely emotional scenes. When asked what she’d like to do after Arrow, which she says she’d like go on as long as possible, would be a comedy, “I think I’ll need a change from all the high drama.”
-Mikel OD Pfeiffer