David Rapaport has helped cast Gossip Girl, 90210, Arrow, and The Flash. For the first time, he talks about auditioning the actors who became iconic faces of The CW.

Willa Holland (Thea Queen, Arrow)

“Melissa Benoist read for Thea,” Rapaport said of the actor he later cast as Supergirl. “We read a bunch of people for Thea and it kept coming back to Willa because, with all these characters on Arrow, there was a duality about who they were on the surface and the darkness behind that. Even being so young, Willa’s lived a bit and that’s what makes her so interesting.

“I had a harder time convincing her to consider the Gossip Girl spin-off, which she ultimately passed on, then I did getting her in for Arrow. I think at that point, enough time had passed [after she co-starred on The O.C.] and it was an exciting, different role with the opportunity to potentially become a comic book hero in the end. I think everyone saw how different and dark and gritty this project was going to be.”

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Willa Holland’s Thea Queen is showing off her physicality this season on “Arrow,” something that was previewed at the end of last week’s episode.

Thea is now being trained as a fighter under the tutelage of her dad, Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman).

“I’m still going through it,” Willa said when AccessHollywood.com asked her about her own fight training as an actress, during a set visit to Vancouver with reporters last Friday. “I’m still learning a lot, but I’ve been doing a lot of weight lifting, hitting the gym a lot with my trainer, Brady Roberts, who tortures me on a daily basis for at least an hour every day of the week, like seven days a week, Sundays even. And basically I’ve been working – I don’t know if I can reveal the other trainers that I’ve been working with. I’ve been focusing on weight lifting and getting my mobility going, and I’ve been hitting a few fronts, like kind of dabbling in almost everything the show has been offering, so it’s been kind of nice.”

In last week’s episode of The CW series, fans saw Thea fending off sparring attacks from several practice fighters using her martial arts skills.

“That’s right! They have revealed some of the katana, which has been awesome,” Willa continued, telling reporters what she is doing on the show. “That’s been one of my favorite things that I’ve been able to learn to do. It’s like crazy, awesome martial arts sword training. That has been amazing. I don’t know if I can reveal too much about it, though. I don’t want to spoil.”

Last season, Access spoke to Willa and asked if she was hoping she would eventually get to kick butt one day on the show. At the time (in April 2014), she said she couldn’t wait, telling Access, “Oh, I am praying for that. I am begging for that. I’ve been asking since day 1.”

Now that she’s finally doing that on The CW drama – or at least showing hints that that is what Thea’s future holds – Willa is having a blast, she told TV reporters.

“It’s probably my favorite part about my job,” she said last Friday. “It’s half the reason why I signed on to ‘Arrow’ in the first place is because the teasing of Speedy was in the pilot, and so I kind of just had this idea, ‘All right, I’m going to inevitably — if I’m on a DC show, maybe I’ll suit up and get to do some awesome stuff.’ And it’s slowly starting to happen, so I’m quite happy about it.”

“Arrow” continues Wednesday night at 8/7c on The CW.

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Willa Holland‘s Thea Queen makes a bigger return to Arrow with Wednesday night’s new episode, “Corto Maltese.” The episode will flash back to what’s happened since Thea got into that limo with her father Malcolm, and it will likely bring her back into contact with older brother Oliver.

We spoke with Willa last week on the Vancouver set of Arrow for a little bit of what we can expect.

“You’re going to see a very interesting father and daughter relationship,” Willa teases about the Thea-Malcom dynamic. “The Thea Queen and Malcolm Merlyn relationship is not going to be anywhere near normal, and I don’t think anybody would expect it to be. You’ll definitely see in the next episode, it’ll pretty much explain their relationship the way that it is right now,” she says.

Will that bond be so strong that she won’t be coming back to Starling City? There might be someone that could get her to return. “I think the one thing that could always pull her back is Oliver and her love for him and that side of her family, as well as Roy. She has a lot in Starling City, of course It’s her home. But right now, I don’t think she has anything in her mind to go back. I think she’s kind of found a new Thea Queen and is very happy with who she is at the moment,” she says.

And as for who she is — if Thea were to take on a superheroic codename, would it be Speedy, or could it be another archery-related DC Comics alias like Artemis? “It’s always been teased to be Speedy, but it’s very up in the air, I fee like,” Willa admits. “Especially in our version of the DC universe, when it comes to being on our pages, it’s sometimes rewritten and changed. I don’t quite have the answer to that. But I wish I did. And if I did, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you anyway,” she laughs.

You can see Willa as Thea in “Corto Maltese” Wednesday night on The CW. You can see video of our interview bellow, where we can also find Willa talking about a number of different topics, including more with Roy and that upcoming Arrow-Flash crossover.

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GALLERY LINK:
Magazine Scans > 2014 > DA MAN (October/November)

The daughter of a famous movie director and an actress and model since the age of seven, it seems Willa Holland was always destined for stardom. Talented and tenacious, she now arrives on our screens for the third season of “Arrow,” an action drama show following the life of a billionaire playboy who returns home after a long absence to fight crime and corruption as a masked vigilante named Arrow. Holland plays Arrow’s sister Thea Queen, and subsequently has to put up with quite a lot. However, as our encounter with her shows, she appears to be more than up to the task.

DA MAN: Willa, thanks for chatting with DA MAN. Can you tell us a bit about your character thea Queen?
WILLA HOLLAND: Hey, my pleasure! Thea has always been a bit of a wild card, but she’s matured a lot over the years. The end of season two was a bit of a struggle for her to put it lightly, but she comes out in season three with a tougher, stronger side that we haven’t seen before. So watch out! [Laughs]

DA: Arrow has a lot of action-packed fighting scenes. do you have to do any training to prepare for these?
WH: Yes! I’m required to hit the gym daily so I can at least attempt to keep up with my incredible costars and the stunt guys and girls. It’s a lot of work but completely worth it. I find being in shape helps me get into character as I feel ready for anything.

DA: The show has an energetic young cast. What’s the atmosphere like on set?
WH: We have the best cast and crew. I’m sure every show says that, but this statement is 100 percent true in my mind. The general vibe on set is always awesome, as everyone actually gets along which is pretty rare for such a large group shoved together on a hot stage.

DA: “Arrow” is of course based on dc comics character green Arrow. Are you a comic book fan yourself?
WH: As a kid I was always partial to DC Comics rather than Marvel. I was a big fan Batman and the Ra’s al Ghul story line, which is one of the things I’m most excited about for season three. The idea of having the character of Ra’s on the show is just a childhood dream come true.

DA: You’ve primarily been filming in vancouver, canada. do you enjoy travelling with work?
WH: Yes, I do. While I’ve previously worked in Italy for a few months which was fantastic, I have to say that I have just fallen in love with this city. I actually moved here two years ago and now I can’t ever picture myself not having a place here.

DA: Apart from “Arrow,” what else are you working on at the moment?
WH: Though its still in the early stages, my mother and I started working on some clothing designs for fun a while ago which may actually have sprung into something. So between the show, training, and now this little side project, I’m kept pretty busy.

DA: We noticed you’ve performed as a voice actress in several video games. How did this come about?
WH: I don’t really know how it all started but I’m guessing someone really liked my raspy, manly voice for video games! [Laughs] Not complaining at all though, it’s actually really fun.

DA: We hear you’re also a singer and musician. Are we going to see an album from you soon?
WH: Oh no. That’s just for the shower!

DA: What else do you get up to in your spare time?
WH: Photography has always been a big part of my life, so I try to venture out and have fun with that most days. Or just sit on the couch enjoying some “Homeland” or “Game of Thrones” as I’m completely hooked on both right now.

DA: Do you live your life by a certain motto?
WH: S**t happens, change your pants

DA: What has been the proudest moment of your career?
WH: Getting to be in the intro of “Pretty Sweet,” a skateboarding video by Spike Jonze for Girl and Chocolate skateboards.

DA: What are your future aspirations?
WH: I have quite a few, but the main ones will always be to live happy, heathy, and free. And to just continue on doing work that makes me feel exactly that.

DA: What qualities do you look for in a man?
WH: Someone who’s loyal and trust worthy. Oh, and good looking doesn’t hurt! [Laughs]

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GALLERY LINK:
Studio Photoshoots > Sessions & Outtakes > 2014 > WhoWhatWear

When Willa Holland arrived in Los Angeles for our October fashion shoot, it was a blistering 90 degrees outside. Hardly coat weather, but that didn’t deter the Arrow actress from playing dress-up in the season’s coolest outerwear. With a new chopped haircut and a giant smile on her face, Holland was game for anything—in this case, an arsenal of cozy pieces rich with of-the-moment textures, menswear detailing, and a touch of sport. Take a minute perusing the final looks, and you’ll be ready to try these fall essentials, too.

Within moments of meeting Holland, we couldn’t help but notice that the actress could be a long-lost Delevingne sister—blame it on her striking brows and prominent cheekbones. When asked if she ever gets mistaken for Cara, Holland laughed: “You mean, does she ever get mistaken for me?” It turns out the two grew up together in London, and people would often mix them up. Holland’s personality fits the bill, too. The bubbly 23-year-old is infectious, not afraid to crack a silly face in front of the camera or dance to Taylor Swift.

That carefree attitude came alive when she was in the day’s first outfit, a Hugo Boss houndstooth suit draped with a leather motorcycle jacket. Not surprising, considering the ensemble was essentially a nod to the actress’ real-life style. Living full-time in Vancouver, where her CW series Arrow films, Holland credits her first group of real girlfriends for shaping her current look. “They opened up my sense of feminist fashion and definitely helped me get into more sophisticated looks,” Holland says. “I wear suit pants with nice Alexander Wang shoes. They took my tomboyish, baggy style and refined it.”

But perhaps the most notable change for Holland is her hair, a short cut she’s been trying to do for years. “I was always told not to [cut it] because I would thoroughly regret it,” Holland says. “I kind of got mad that everyone was saying that, so I decided I would try to get my show to write it in. I cut my hair literally the day season two ended. I’m obsessed with it, and never growing it back.”

A hair style that only takes 15 seconds—simply plop in some pomade and mess it up a bit—is perfectly at home with the day’s more easygoing looks. An oversized pinstripe coat and cropped trousers can be all business, but when paired with a relaxed graphic tee and playful flats, are easily weekend-ready.

A self-proclaimed baggy jeans and t-shirt girl, Holland not only knows great denim—she showed up wearing the covet-worthy high-waisted vintage Levi’s shown above—but the power of a statement jacket, too. Holland recalled one of her greatest finds, saying, “I actually have this piece that I found in a vintage shop in Portland. It’s all brown wool on the inside and brown suede on the outside. It’s a bomber jacket with this really nice fashionista-like collar to it that kind of just pops up.”

It’s Holland’s eye for cool vintage finds that partially influenced her to start a fashion line, George Clothing Co., with her mother Darnell Gregorio-De Palma. “It’s just in the very early stages,” she says. “It’s being mixed inside the womb and yet to be birthed.” While on set, we got to take a peek at the collection, noting standouts like a paisley-print tee with a contrast pocket and a perfectly feminine polka-dot dress. “It’s based loosely on me and my mom’s style,” Holland added. “It came about because in the early ‘80s my mother was asked by Ron Herman to design pieces for his stores.”

As for Holland’s own designer obsessions, she was quick to call out Proenza Schouler, and doted over the olive green backpack by the New York design duo that she toted to our studio, a recent purchase she doesn’t plan on parting with anytime soon. “I have this weird thing that if I buy a backpack like that, I have to wait a year before buying another bag,” she says. “The moment I’ve spent that money, a year has to go by. I have to obsess over it for the next 365 days to know that I want it that bad. I will never become used to being that person that spends three grand here, three grand there. Nobody should do that, no matter how much money you have.”

When Holland isn’t hard at work on her fashion line or reading scripts, the beauty can be found catching up on the latest season of Sons of Anarchy and chilling out to Mazzy Star. “I’ve always been kind of stuck in a couple years back,” she says. “I’m in a Mazzy phase, but I love me some Taylor Swift, too. I like ‘22.’ [That song] was my jam, because when I turned 22 that was all I listened to. I feel like when you are at that age, you must listen to that song for a week straight. And then for the rest of that year, any time you are sad, you have to turn on that song.”

So what’s next for Holland? The actress is back to work on her hit comic seriesArrow, which premieres its third season tonight. With star power in spades, an incredibly chic fashion sense, and designs skills to boot, it’s clear Holland is more than just a pretty face.

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Despite what we know about what’s coming up in “Arrow” season 3, there is a lot of mystery surrounding Thea’s arc – and Willa Holland couldn’t share much about what she is up to at San Diego Comic-Con. On Monday, Sept. 15, we uploaded that video interview from our press room roundtable with the actress.

Check out the video above or here to see what Holland shared about Thea in season 3. Read on for just a few highlights about what she could reveal.

“I can say that the Thea Queen that we saw leave at the end of season 2 is definitely not the Thea Queen that we see enter back in season 3. She’s definitely – she’s gone through some stuff and maybe taken out a little anger on the gym,” the actress teased. “She was so broken at the end of season 2 to the point where season 3 is – where her headspace is at in season 3 is that she’s just not ever going to let that happen to her again. She’s at a place where she’s not going to let anybody hurt her ever again.”

Holland also compared what we’ll see Thea going through to “her own version of the island.” “What I can say is obviously season 1 was all about Oliver’s arc on the island,” she explained. “Season 2 was almost like an homage for Roy’s being on an island, his version of the island, so I’ve been getting teased about and quite excited for the idea that season 3 is kind of Thea’s arc on her version of the island.”

Don’t forget to watch the video for much more from Willa Holland. “Arrow” season 3 premieres Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 8 p.m. on the CW.

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GALLERY LINK:
Studio Photoshoots > Sessions & Outtakes > 2014 > Tomboy KC #02

We love showcasing Willa’s style around here because, to us, she is the definition of Tomboy KC. She pretends like she doesn’t have it going on, but the girl has it going on in more ways than one. Equal parts chic, casual, smart, funny, confident and independent, Willa is basically everything we look for in a friend. This girl knows what’s up.

I know I’m pumping her tires, but the truth is the truth. I love her guts… and not just because she sometimes reminds me of myself. Willa is a wonderful friend and the epitome of cool. At the end of the day she’s not afraid to just be Willa, and I love that.

– Katie Cassidy

“In general, I think that Willa is incredibly talented, and it really excites me because for all intents and purposes, she’s kind of been a bench player for the first couple of years,” the star continued, shifting the topic back to Willa Holland’s character, Thea. “This year, it’s us saying, ‘We know how much you’re capable of. So here you go. Here’s your episode.’ I know that Diggle’s had a couple episodes like that, but this year Willa is going to have an episode like that. And Emily [Bett Rickards as Felicity] is going to have an episode like that. That’s the most exciting part for me — aside from getting a couple of days off. I’m happy that everyone is getting their moment.”

(read the whole article)

Thea’s dark path with Malcolm

What exactly transpired between father and daughter in the limo? Guggenheim hints that viewers will find out the answer in season three, though they’ll have to be patient. “We are going to do a flashback at some point in the season that takes you back to that car and continues the conversation, so you’ll get to see what Thea said to Malcolm and what Malcolm said to Thea,” he says. Adds Kreisberg: “At some point, if all the characters are going to become their comic book selves, they have to go through their island. … This year is going to be Thea’s island. How that plays out and which side she lands on will be the fun of the season.”

(read the full article)

FRIDAY, JULY 25

5:30 pm Arrow (The CW) | Stars Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Colton Haynes, Willa Holland, Paul Blackthorne and John Barrowman with executive producers Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg. (Ballroom 20)

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