Actor Matt Nable may have played Ra’s al Ghul during Arrow Season 3, but it was John Barrowman that succeeded him when Malcolm Merlyn took the mantle in the Season 3 finale. Over the last three years, Merlyn has made a name for himself as one of Oliver Queen’s most dangerous enemies, but if you know anything about Barrowman, it’s that he’s a fun-loving goofball that delights in behind-the-scenes antics. There was one moment in particular that made him crack up during last season’s shoot, and it was quite a stinker.
During Barrowman’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the actor recounted one of his favorite outtakes from this last season. The scene involved Thea Queen being carried to the previous Ra’s al Ghul, and Stephen Amell had to give some dialogue. That led to this humorous moment:
We were all standing there, waiting and waiting. Well, I'm sorry -- if I have to fart, I have to fart. I don't care how much dialogue you have to say…So I'm standing there, and you hear a little 'pppfffft.' And David [Ramsey] looks over, and I acknowledge that it was me. Stephen is still doing the dialogue at this point, but I whisper, 'It doesn't smell.' Then Diggle nods, while still playing things straight. And just before we were about to cut, Stephen -- who obviously heard all of this -- turns around and goes, 'Fart in my mouth and prove it.
As reported by Comic Book Resources, this story drew a lot of laughs from the audience, and Barrowman himself had to wipe away tears. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like Barrowman took Amell’s offer. Honestly, it’s amazing that Amell was able to stay in character for that long before calling Barrowman out on his claim. I also imagine that Amell and his fellow costars are used to dealing with mistakingly being accused of passing gas while wearing their superhero costumes. Surely the leather those suits are made from frequently makes that all-too familiar squeaking sound when the actors are walking around or adjusting their positions in a chair. These things happen!
Arrow’s third season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in September, so maybe we’ll see this moment in the outtakes/bloopers. As for Barrowman’s future on Arrow, he will be returning as a series regular in Season 4 as the League of Assassins’ new leader, although details are light on what specific role he’ll play. However, with the latest batch of episodes delving into magic and Sara Lance soon to be revived in the Lazarus Pit, it’s safe to say his importance won’t be diminished when the show returns in the fall.
Arrow Season 4 will debut on Wednesday, October 7 on The CW.
