The beloved DC superhero received a second chance at television from Warner Bros. Television with a new version that is set in the same world as the CW’s Stephen Amell-starring series “Arrow,” more than 20 years after the first live-action “The Flash” series concluded its broadcast run. Following positive fan reactions to Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen debut in Season 2 of “Arrow,” the network formally picked up the project from executive producers Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns in 2014. After receiving favourable reviews for its debut, “The Flash” has played a crucial role in the network’s growing Arrowverse.
The primary cast and guest star lineup of “The Flash,” one of the CW’s longest-running dramas, has amassed quite a noteworthy lineup over the years, including performers from well-known TV shows and motion pictures, rising stars, and even some seasoned actors with impressive musical backgrounds. The actors from “The Flash” may look familar to you for the following reason.
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Candice Patton
During a discussion with Popsugar, Candice Patton spoke on her casting as Iris West and said, “Comic book fans are very opinionated [and] quite vociferous.” So, when I first started the show, it was extremely frightful to assume that position.
Patton patiently endured some online abuse and graciously adopted the role because she understood the severity and significance of her portrayal for young girls of colour. She told the Washington Post that opposition to change would always exist. But that doesn’t worry me anymore because I believe I’ve kind of cemented the role. Whether it was myself or a different actor who played the part in the movie, Iris West will be remembered as Black for generations to come. It’s a wonderful thing.
Patton’s commitment to journalism is comparable to that of Iris West, and she has the same passion for it. She participated in a worldwide casting call following her first year at Southern Methodist University for the chance to appear in several episodes of the venerable daytime soap “The Young and the Restless.” She won the “Soap Star Screen Test,” beating out the other two winners, out of 10 finalists from various institutions, and as a result, she was given her first acting role as Robin on “Y&R” in a few episodes from 2004 to 2005. Patton has guest-starred on numerous television programmes in addition to portraying Iris in other Arrowverse episodes, including “Entourage,” “Heroes,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Carlos Valdes
Carlos Valdes was most likely the major cast member who was least familiar when “T he Flash” first aired, and for good reason: it was his first time on television. His interest in theatre began at the University of Michigan, where he joined the troupe Starkid Productions, which was co-founded by Darren Criss, a future Golden Globe winner. After graduating from college, he was given the opportunity to showcase his versatility by being a part of the Broadway production of “Once” from 2013 to 2014.
As Cisco Ramon, Valdes quickly won over fans with his steady and astute portrayal. Cisco’s friendship with Barry was one of the show’s high points. Fans were undoubtedly shocked when his departure during Season 7 was announced for this reason. The actor told Entertainment Weekly, “The thought [of quitting] was always there, but I don’t believe I felt comfortable acting on it until much later.” He acknowledged that putting his mental health first had played a significant role in his choice to leave the superhero franchise. These are extremely contentious decisions that individuals are making, and it’s always gratifying to see fans react positively to those kinds of actions because it inspires hope in humanity and shows that mental health is a top issue, according to the author.
If you or someone you know needs help with their mental health, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text HOME to 741741, or go to the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Chris Klein
A brand-new antagonist was introduced to “Flash” viewers in Season 5 in the form of Chris Klein’s Cicada, a metahuman serial killer who uses his lightning blade to kill people with superpowers. As a founding member of the enduring “American Pie” movie series and a participant in one of Ryan Reynolds’ early and most underappreciated romantic comedies, “Just Friends,” from 2005, Cicada represents a significant departure for Klein.
When director Alexander Payne spotted Klein for a part in the 1999 black comedy movie “Election,” which received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, it was Klein’s big break. Following his tenure on “The Flash,” Klein went on to star in the 2022 release of the second season of the romance drama “Sweet Magnolias” on Netflix.
Danielle Nicolet
Similarly to Jesse L. Martin’s Joe West, Danielle Nicolet plays district attorney Cecile Horton, who acts as a mentor to Barry and Iris. Her character gains metahuman abilities as the seasons go on, which results in her joining Team Flash. Nicolet said to Nerds of Color, “I’ve been really fortunate in my character in that she tends to have a bit of a growth with each season.” She is similar to Harrison Wells in that she initially lacked powers until acquiring them, and since then, her powers have been steadily developing and changing with each new season.
Nicolet is no stranger to the superhero genre; from 2011 to 2013, she collaborated on a couple projects with Marvel. Nicolet played the iconic Marvel character Storm in the third episode of the X-Men-focused “Marvel Anime,” one of a series of four anime productions, in a role that was far different from her one in “The Flash.” She then voiced Storm as well as other Marvel characters like Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Maria Hill, and Gamora in three video games: “Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth,” “Marvel Heroes,” and “Lego Marvel Super Heroes.”
Danielle Panabaker
Danielle Panabaker’s career as a Disney star, which began with the 2004 Disney Channel original film “Stuck in the Suburbs,” makes her the key cast member who millennial viewers are most likely to recognise. She continued working with the House of Mouse the following year with the well-known superhero comedy “Sky High.” Panabaker appeared on a variety of popular shows before obtaining the role of Caitlin Snow on “The Flash,” including “The Guardian,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Law & Order: LA,” “Bones,” “Mad Men,” and “Justified.” As she made her directorial debut with Season 5, Episode 18, “Godspeed,” she had the chance to learn more about what it’s like to work behind the camera during her time on the Arrowverse series. She then went on to helm more of the show’s episodes.
Panabaker acknowledged that her co-star Tom Cavanagh served as her inspiration for pursuing directing. “I believe I’ve always focused on directing in a very specific way… She admitted to The Mary Sue, “I don’t think I knew it was in me until I watched Tom Cavanagh direct in Season 3.” “I watched him do it, and I was incredibly inspired. I started asking questions, and here we are,” the speaker said.
Grant Gustin
The second season of “Arrow” introduced fans to Barry Allen, a bumbling crime scene investigator from Central City, who was played by Grant Gustin. DC fans soon got used to his interpretation of the Flash as he went on to appear in his own solo Arrowverse series. Greg Berlanti, the executive producer, noticed Gustin’s ability to give the hero emotional depth during the audition process. In a featurette, Berlanti said, “We kind of recognised that he was Barry from the second Grant came in on his own and not because he looked plainly like Barry from the comic book, ’cause he kinda didn’t. But Grant had the acting skills to carry this job, you know, and he had the heart.
Despite the fact that “The Flash” is his most significant part to date, Gustin wasn’t first introduced to the public through this programme. He first received his big break in 2011, when he was chosen for a recurring role in Fox’s well-known musical dramedy “Glee.” This was before he became the scarlet speedster. He played Sebastian Smythe, the Dalton Academy Warblers’ new captain, who TVLine once called “a promiscuous and cunning male version of Naya Rivera’s Santana.” Despite the fact that Gustin played Sebastian very briefly in a few episodes, the charisma, wit, and confidence he gave to the role made it unforgettable.
His covers of “I Want You Back” and “Smooth Criminal” alongside Rivera are possibly his most renowned musical performances from “Glee.” The later song even made its debut on the Billboard Digital Songs chart at number 10. Gustin was nonetheless able to showcase his musical talent in a crossover episode of Season 3 when he and fellow “Glee” alum Melissa Benoist’s Kara Danvers got trapped in a musical dream realm, despite putting out his Warbler jacket for a protective red suit.
Jesse L. Martin
One of the few “The Flash” cast members with a track record on Broadway before joining the show is Jesse L. Martin. The well-regarded rock musical “Rent” is without a doubt his most recognised creation. Martin and Jonathan Larson met while they were both waiting tables, and Jonathan Larson wrote and composed the Tony-winning play.
Martin noted in a Playbill interview that “the establishment was open 24 hours a day, and Jonathan trained me when I had to work overnight.” He claimed to be a composer, he said. I left before the end of the week and started working for “New York Undercover.” They reconnected after a while during the “Rent” auditions, when he was chosen to portray the role of Tom Collins, a role he would later play for a considerable amount of time in the musical’s Off-Broadway, Broadway, and West End productions.
Martin enjoyed success in television after joining the cast of “Law & Order” in 1999, in addition to his long career on theatre. He spent nine seasons as Detective Ed Green on the long-running drama “The Flash” before switching to Detective Joe West of the Central City Police Department.
Jessica Parker Kennedy
Jessica Parker Kennedy may be recognisable to DC show devotees due to her appearances in the prior well-liked superhero drama “Smallville.” In three episodes of Season 8 of the Tom Welling-hosted show, Kennedy played the supervillain Plastique, also known as Bette Sans Souci. She plays Nora West-Allen on “The Flash,” but this character is substantially different in terms of personality and metahuman powers. The only thing Kennedy’s interpretations of Plastique and Nora have in common is that they both depart from the comic book. In “Smallville,” the supervillain’s abilities were slightly altered, whereas Nora in “The Flash” was modelled after DC hero XS, who in the comics is Barry Allen’s granddaughter.
Kennedy also starred in the short-lived fantasy teen drama “The Secret Circle” before transitioning into a time-traveling superhero. She has had a few supporting parts in TV movies like 2008’s teen musical comedy “Another Cinderella Story,” which starred Selena Gomez, and appeared in TV series like “The Troop,” “90210,” “Black Sails,” and “Colony.”
John Wesley Shipp
John Wesley Shipp’s name was a household name before Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller became the Flash. The actor’s relationship with the protagonist dates back to when he was chosen for the title character in the first live-action “The Flash” series, which ran from 1990 to 1991 for just one season. Shipp asserted that “The Flash” was cancelled because it was ahead of its time, notably in terms of the audience’s image of superheroes in the ’90s compared to now, during an appearance on “Smallville” alum Michael Rosenbaum’s “Inside of You” podcast. He continued by saying that a major factor in the show’s demise was its expensive budget, which included $100,000 worth of Flash outfits.
Reverse-Flash, also known as Professor Zoom, was voiced by Shipp in the animated series “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” in 2010. Shipp joined the Arrowverse four years later and was given the role of Henry Allen, which he played for two seasons before the writers found a way to put him back in the red and gold suit. Shipp has appeared as the protagonist in other Arrowverse programmes including “Supergirl” and “Stargirl” in addition to portraying two different iterations of the scarlet speedster in the shape of Jay Garrick and an older Barry Allen.
In addition to his reputation as a superhero, Shipp rose to fame during the 1980s for his work on several soap operas, earning two Daytime Emmy Awards for his performances on “As the World Turns” and “Santa Barbara.” He is also well-known for playing Dawson’s father, Mitch Leery, in the teen drama “Dawson’s Creek.”
Keiynan Lonsdale
It was a no-brainer for “The Flash” to introduce Wally West, also known as Kid Flash, to the Arrowverse during Season 2. Wally West is undoubtedly a favourite among DC fans. The multi-talented Keiynan Lonsdale earned the distinction of playing the first live-action Kid Flash and, in the words of executive producer Andrew Kreisberg (via IGN), “embodied all the passion and courage of the hero.” Since he was introduced as Iris West’s brother rather than her cousin, Lonsdale’s interpretation of the character differs slightly from the comics. Lonsdale made the decision to depart “The Flash” after his third season as a series regular in order to work on other endeavours and concentrate on advancing his music career.
Prior to joining “The Flash,” Lonsdale landed his first significant cinematic role in the dystopian trilogy “Divergent,” which stars Shailene Woodley as the Dauntless initiate Uriah Pedrad. For his role as Bram in the coming-of-age dramedy “Love, Simon,” Lonsdale is also well-known.
Robbie Amell
Robbie Amell portrayed Ronnie Raymond for the first two seasons of “The Flash,” Caitlin Snow’s fiancé, who was initially believed to have perished in the STAR Labs particle accelerator explosion. However, just like in the comics, Ronnie actually combined with Martin Stein played by Victor Garber, creating the character known as Firestorm. Robbie had the opportunity to collaborate with Stephen Amell, who played Oliver Queen, a.k.a. the Green Arrow, in Season 1 of the Arrowverse series. He has repeatedly returned to the show despite never being a series regular.
With prominent roles in movies like “Picture This,” “The DUFF,” the “Babysitter” movies, “Code 8,” and “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,” as well as TV shows like “Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous,” “The Tomorrow People,” and “Upload,” Robbie Amell has been slowly expanding his career. Longtime Nickelodeon viewers may also be familiar with him because, from 2008 to 2011, he costarred with Keke Palmer as the love interest in the adolescent comedy “True Jackson, VP” as one of the show’s primary cast members.
Tom Cavanagh
Eobard Thawne, often known as Reverse Flash, is undoubtedly the most evil foe Barry Allen faced in “The Flash.” Tom Cavanagh, a key player in the show from Seasons 1 through 8, portrays the hero’s ultimate adversary. Cavanagh is renowned for his several interpretations of Harrison Wells, the director of STAR Labs, in addition to his work as a villain. In addition, he directed a number of the show’s episodes, including its landmark 100th episode, “What’s Past Is Prologue.”
In the 1990s, Cavanagh began his career in television, playing a variety of characters in TV dramas such “Secret Service,” “Sherlock Holmes Returns,” “The Sentinel,” “Northern Lights,” and “Providence.” When he was chosen to star in his own comedy-drama series “Ed,” which ran for four seasons from 2000 to 2004, he got his big break. Cavanagh received his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Actor – Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of Ed Stevens in the comedy. Although the programme was short-lived, his connection with castmate and future “Modern Family” alum Julie Bowen has endured for decades.
Tom Felton
Tom Felton’s casting as Julian Albert in the third season of “The Flash” was a surprise and a pleasant addition for viewers who grew up watching the “Harry Potter” movies; Felton even thanked fans for their enthusiastic reactions when it was announced in 2016. Julian Albert was first presented as Barry’s fellow CSI at the Central City Police Department before changing into Dr. Alchemy and eventually joining Team Flash. Fans were left wondering why Felton left “The Flash” after his character didn’t return in the following season despite being one of the show’s high points in the third season.
Felton’s portrayal of Julian Albert isn’t entirely dissimilar from his portrayal of Draco Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” films; both characters discovered goodness within them after being introduced as antagonists. Felton has been in a number of other films, including “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Risen,” “Message from the King,” “Freed,” and “A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting,” in addition to “Harry Potter” and “The Flash.”
Victor Garber
Victor Garber portrayed nuclear physicist Dr. Martin Stein for the first four seasons of “The Flash.” Stein accidently fused with Robbie Amell’s Ronnie Raymond in a particle accelerator explosion, becoming half of Firestorm. Garber is one of the few Arrowverse characters that has appeared in every programme, despite quitting the series in 2017.
Garber has a long career in the industry before “The Flash.” The great actor’s most memorable role, aside from his Emmy-nominated performance in the action thriller series “Alias,” may have been Thomas Andrews in James Cameron’s epic romance film “Titanic,” where he was based on the real-life designer of the notorious “unsinkable” ship.
Garber has nothing but respect and appreciation for Cameron’s commitment to filmmaking, despite the fact that shooting the expensive Oscar-winning catastrophe movie required lengthy night shoots. He told The Globe and Mail that “he’s certainly one of the best directors we’ve ever known.” He anticipates that everyone will share his dedication. Being a stage actor, I have a foundation in preparation and simply being aware of what the director wants and needs. I therefore had a lot of fun with him.
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