Before Arrow, Stephen Amell Had A Small Role On The Vampire Diaries

Before Stephen Amell played Green Arrow, the hooded savior of Star City, he made a blink-and-you'll-miss-it guest appearance on "The Vampire Diaries" Season 2. The actor played a werewolf named Brady, who was directly at odds with Stefan (Paul Wesley) after attempting to kidnap Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). In the CW drama, Elena isn't just Stefan and Damon's (Ian Somerhalder) love interest; she is also a doppelganger. Her identity makes her a coveted person for several supernatural creatures that step foot in Mystic Falls. 

Brady tries to kidnap Elena (after having already kidnapped and tortured her best friend Caroline) to use her for a spell that could break the fabled Sun and Moon Curse. The curse is what unlocks the werewolf transformation at the full moon, so breaking it would set Brady, his girlfriend Jules (Michaela McManus), and their pack free to shapeshift as they please. In turn, they could kill all of the vampires in Mystic Falls, especially Damon, who was responsible for murdering one of their own.

Amell's character appears in Episodes 13 and 14 of Season 2. He is killed by Stefan when he invades the lake house where Elena goes to hide. As he chases her around the house, Stefan arrives just in time to protect Elena and rips Brady's heart out of his chest.

The actor told Page Six he wished his appearance on the CW drama hadn't been cut short. "I can't lie, I'm sad to be dead," he said. "I don't know how I could ever have more fun than I did playing Brady on 'The Vampire Diaries.' But if you're gonna come in and be memorable, it's easier to do that in a short snippet."

Even before getting cast in "The Vampire Diaries" for a two-episode arc, Stephen Amell had auditioned to play two other characters that were featured in Season 2. He told Daily Actor, "I had auditioned three times before [landing Brady]. I definitely tried out for Mason Lockwood and Elijah. They liked me but didn't think I was the right fit for those roles."

Mason Lockwood was then played by "Chicago Fire" alum Taylor Kinney, and Daniel Gillies was cast as Elijah in both "The Vampire Diaries" and its spin-off "The Originals." Amell shared in the same interview that when the role of Brady came his way, he took it without second-guessing: "I got on the plane not even knowing the part, but knowing it would be super awesome."

Although his guest appearance on "The Vampire Diaries" was short-lived, it ended up being a blessing in disguise. After all, he was cast as Oliver Queen in the CW series "Arrow," which ran for eight seasons and paved the way for the DC television franchise Arrowverse. Amell will soon star in the "Baywatch" reboot, which will premiere in January 2027.