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Arrow/The Flash: Emily Bett Rickards on Felicity's Busy Schedule
Emily Bett Rickards on Felicity's The Flash guest role, her Arrow origin episode and much more.
27 OCT 2014 BY ERIC GOLDMAN
Felicity Smoak is everywhere these days. On
Arrow, the character continues to play a crucial role on the team, while she also now has a new day job working alongside Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh). And this week, Felicity will also be seen on
The Flash, as
Emily Bett Rickards guest stars on the spinoff series, after Felicity goes to visit Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), following their initial friendship and flirtation when Barry was introduced on Arrow last year.
I spoke to Rickards about her guest role on The Flash and how Felicity gets along with that group of characters – which we’ll see even more of in a few weeks when The Flash and Arrow have a bigger crossover event involving the casts of both shows across both series. We also discussed Felicity’s current dynamic with both Ray and Oliver Queen, next week’s Arrow -- which will reveal more about Felicity’s origins -- and how she feels about the Green Arrow comics recently introducing a new DC Comics incarnation of Felicity modeled after her version of the character.
IGN TV: We’ll be seeing you on The Flash this week. What is it like for these two characters to meet again at this point, given that time has passed and a lot of things have changed now for both of them?
Emily Bett Rickards: I think it's important to realize the big changes that are going on for Barry and who he's becoming. He's going through a big life change, and Felicity is a friend. Obviously there was romantic interest at some point, and there's always going to be that sort of spark, but with these big life changes happening, they're just looking for a friend, I think, and it's really important to value their friendship.
Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak and Grant Gustin as The Flash
IGN: What does she make of the fact that he's turned into what he's turned into -- he has these abilities and is a costumed superhero -- given the other superhero she's hanging out with all the time?
Rickards: Yeah, that's true. I think this is now her life. Not to say it's not unique or surprising; I just think she's just so willing now to not believe she knows everything anymore. She's open to learning all of the time, because she's going to get new things thrown at her every day. For the rest of her life I think she's prepared for that -- as prepared as you can be. The fact that he has super speed, she's just like, "Okay, I accept that. I accept you. Let's do this. Let's move on!” [Laughs] “Let's try and figure out other things about it."
IGN: From the pictures and clips, it looks like she really gets to work with the team this week. What's it like for her to work with Team Flash as a shakeup from her usual Team Arrow duties?
Rickards: Well, STAR Labs has something that we in the Arrow world don't. They have these other sort of tech abilities that -- I mean, Felicity can only provide so much. So I think that's really exciting for her, at least for her intellect addiction. I think that her and Caitlin are really great together because there's not a lot of women of that caliber in on the secret. Where we are with Starling and Central City, she doesn't get to work with a whole lot of women, especially women she can talk to in a certain "IQ" sort of way. Obviously that's a little sad, but it also makes it very special when you have that sort of relationship arise. And Felicity and Cisco getting to work together is a really cool dynamic. She's a huge fan of Dr. Wells; he's like an idol in their world. So she's being welcomed into an amazing world.
Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow and Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak in The Flash.
IGN: Of course, a few weeks after this will be the big crossover between the two shows. Does the fact that Felicity has already kind of been the ambassador from Arrow to go over and help once before ease some tensions or give her a different connection with the group than anyone else from Arrow does?
Rickards: That's exactly what it is. She's definitely there to ease tensions. She's there to bring them together and act as a translator sometimes, because I think that can be lost. She really values teamwork and working together, and she believes the more people the better. Obviously we're dealing with a whole bunch of secrets -- protection of identity and that sort of thing is important, but when you need people to help you out, she's that person to be like, "Okay, we need these people. We all need to work together." So that's her role.
IGN: These shows exist in the same world, but The Flash is a lighter show in tone than Arrow often is. Is it interesting to see how they bounce off each other, given those differences?
Rickards: Well, I think Felicity's interesting in that she's sort of the lighter part of the Starling City world. So having her fit into Central City isn't totally foreign I don't think. There's a lot more daylight in Central City, which is interesting. Although, they do more night shoots. I'm very confused about how that happens. [Laughs]
IGN: Really? That is weird!
Rickards: I feel like we're always in the dark in Starling. But I think she fits into that world properly, because she is sort of that light. I think the contrast of her in Starling City makes sense. You know, she likes being that way, but I think Central City is sort of like, "Oh!" It's almost like it wouldn't be too hard to believe that Felicity grew up in Central City or something like that -- not that she did; it's just that I wouldn't be surprised, by any means.
IGN: Well, that is a wonderful transition you just gave me into Felicity and where she grew up -- because next week’s Arrow is a big episode for your character. What can you say, given the title, about “The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak?” Were you pretty surprised by anything you learned?
Emily Bett Rickards: Yeah, I was surprised. I mean, "surprised" is maybe not the right word. I think I've just been craving to know these things about her. I'm so grateful that I -- I feel like I'm so much closer to my best friend now. [Laughs] It's so weird! It's the weirdest thing. She's so special to me. She has a darker path than I ever wanted to really play with, because I think that makes me a little sad that she's gone through a few really terrible things. But it's interesting, because I can connect with her on that level to a certain extent as well. I don't know, she just really warms my heart.
IGN: I'm also curious about the dynamic between her and her mom, since we're going to be seeing this very key figure from her past show up.
Rickards: Ah, yes. That's a whole thing. They are completely different people, except for their ability to really, really care. She definitely has the maternal gene from her mother. Her mother really tries, and that effort doesn't go unnoticed.
Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak in Arrow.
IGN: There's been a lot of fun material with Felicity and Ray Palmer lately. But then we had that scene in the last episode with this possibly ominous moment with him after she left. Should we be concerned for Felicity?
Rickards: I think that we can safely say we should always be concerned for Felicity. [Laughs] I don't know how she doesn't go to therapy. I think she has very strong morals and is very protected by who she knows who she is, but I feel like she's thrown into these situations a lot of the time. They're situations you couldn't even imagine are going to happen. I think her occupation and extracurricular activities aren't exactly the safest. She lives a high-risk lifestyle. But I believe she'll always come out on the other side. I think she's always going to be dealt a difficult hand of cards.
IGN: So in the weeks to come, what should be expect as far as her and Ray working together and their relationship?
Rickards: Oh, they're good. I like their relationship; I like their dynamic. I like how they use honesty. Ray's really interesting because he really asks the tough questions. He's her boss, but he believes in a personal life. He's not one of those people like, "Oh, don't bring your personal life to work." He's like, "What are you dealing with? Do you need help?" I think that's really admirable and a really great quality in a person. And they're really fun. They get along really well, so there's that too. I don't know where it's going to go, but hopefully he doesn't turn into some crazy psychopath -- but we never know!
Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen and Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak in Arrow.
IGN: One would hope! And how are her and Oliver, going forward? Is it difficult or strange for them to be working together right now in the wake of their own issues, or are they -- especially with what's happened with Sara -- both focused on the goal at hand?
Rickards: I think Sara was such a huge part of forced reality, of "Anyone you care about could be ripped away from you." That's a thing they’ve faced a few times, with Moira and Tommy as well. Everyone’s dying! But I think that Oliver's dynamic in comparison to Ray's… I feel like Oliver's ability to cut off a limb to a certain extent is something that Felicity, you know, she can't really do it that well, but she knows that he can and, therefore, we're not going to talk about it. "This is our experience as friends." She doesn't really know what they are or who they were or where they stand now. I don't know, I've been there. I'm still confused. [Laughs] I don't know how she's going to figure it out. Felicity and I have no hope!
IGN: Lastly, what did you think of Felicity popping up for the first time -- or a much more "you" version of Felicity, I should say -- in DC Comics recently, in Green Arrow?
Rickards: That was really cool. I can't believe it. I'm so speechless. It doesn't feel like reality to me. I'm like, "Oh, that's me? That's Felicity in a comic book? That's weird and so awesome!" I'm speechless. It's super rad. I'm super stoked about it.
IGN: Wait 'til you get your first action figure.
Rickards: Oh, God. There's a Barbie! There's a Barbie named Felicity that wears glasses, which is weird. I'm like, "Why a Barbie? Why not, like, a Care Bear?" I'd be so stoked.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10...he-flash-and-whats-next-for-felicity-on-arrow
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is up with Wells though? Why did he stab dude? And how does he know about the future? Is dude some kind of evil time traveler or something? I have to admit, I'm intrigued.
2 PAWGS!!!
