Arrow The Amanda Waller/Cynthia Addai Robinson Thread

[Harry Dresden]

Worst actor/actress on the show for me is probably Willa Holland.

 

[p4poetic]

Willa was really good in the Moira death scene (everyone was amazing there as a matter of fact) and when she was captured. Its just the Thea character that sucks.

They should've just gotten CCH Pounder or Pam Grier. it seems to me like they cared more about getting a pretty face than getting a good actress.

I prefer the acting of literally every other actress that has played the role. Bassett, Pounder, Grier, even the YJ version>Robinson

From what I've seen of Robinson on Spartacus, she is a lot better there. She isn't a terrible actress on there at all.. I dunno what the deal is with her portrayal on Arrow. It's a significant step down in quality. I don't have a bias against her or the character, I wanted to like Robinson's portrayal, but she was terribly miscast imo.

Perhaps its Arrow's version of Waller you dislike.

Here's Cynthia's acting reel https://vimeo.com/94297966

 

[Boy Scout]

I think Robinson gets better and better every time we see her. I was indifferent to her at first, but now I think she's decent.

 

[Verick808]

Willa is actually a pretty good actress, especially compared to other actresses on CW. I just don't think the writers had a thorough game plan for her. They seem to want her as Speedy but they didn't want her to develop her right away so we got a Thea stuck in development limbo. Hopefully both Waller and Thea will benefit from more screen time next season.

 

[p4poetic]

I hope she doesn't turn into anything. Just watching her adjust to her surroundings (with Malcolm) and his wackyness will be entertaining enough.

Whatever it is they're going to do with Waller and Hong Kong I hope doesn't involve forming a romantic relationship with Oliver.

 

[Lantern Venom]

EDIT: Not trying to derail this thread with my negativity, I'm just not a big fan of her performance, but i hope she does better with a presumably larger role next season.

So far, I haven't been that impressed. She just doesn't convey the nasty, calculating side of Waller all that well. Hopefully, time will fix that. Her appearance is still working against her. Even in a dark suit and with her hair in a bun, Robinson is still striking. That's not what the Amanda Waller character needs.

 

[p4poetic]

So far, I haven't been that impressed. She just doesn't convey the nasty, calculating side of Waller all that well. Hopefully, time will fix that. Her appearance is still working against her. Even in a dark suit and with her hair in a bun, Robinson is still striking. That's not what the Amanda Waller character needs.

Ah, pretty people problems.

I wonder why in the flashback she's uncharacteristically wearing a light color when all we've seen her in in the present is wear black or navy blue. Wonder if that's intentional.

 

[Paradox1]

I hope she doesn't turn into anything. Just watching her adjust to her surroundings (with Malcolm) and his wackyness will be entertaining enough.

Whatever it is they're going to do with Waller and Hong Kong I hope doesn't involve forming a romantic relationship with Oliver.

Waller and Ollie are going to get together lol. It might not be romantic especially on her side of things. She seems to calculating for romance with a man like Oliver Queen.

 

[p4poetic]

Waller and Ollie are going to get together lol. It might not be romantic especially on her side of things. She seems to calculating for romance with a man like Oliver Queen.

Manipulating Ollie with her feminine wiles? Well they already made her pretty and skinny, might as well go all the way.

I'm conflicted because that is so cliche, but at the same time, both Cynthia and Stephen are I wonder what kind of chemistry they'll have. Thought they were good in that scene where he breaks into ARGUS (they don't have the greatest security do they?)

 

[vantheman77]

I wonder if they'll use Amanda Waller for the MoS sequel and the upcoming JL movie.

 

[Londonberger]

I wonder if they'll use Amanda Waller for the MoS sequel and the upcoming JL movie.

I think she's too young to be taken seriously in a movie. MAYBE the CW can get away with it, but movie audiences aren't going to buy that someone so young is enabled to authorize a drone strike on an American city.

 

[Jason Kane]

I think she's too young to be taken seriously in a movie. MAYBE the CW can get away with it, but movie audiences aren't going to buy that someone so young is enabled to authorize a drone strike on an American city.

Thus why I feel a young and slender figured Waller doesn't work, Not on film (with two exception of Grier and Basset) and definitely not in print where she's just a generric piece of eye candy disguised as a ballbusting authority figure

 

[p4poetic]

Grier and Bassett are not young; both are in their 50s and 60s, and neither are slender.

We wont be seeing any connection to the DC movies with the DC shows, and I'm fine with that.

 

[DarKush]

I disagree with the idea that slender, attractive women can't be intimidating. I was cool with the size change for Waller. I enjoyed the original incarnation, but I also like the New 52 version.

There is something a little off about this desire to keep Waller obese. Some of it has to do with that's the way she was originally conceived, but when you have a world of attractive white characters, one of the prominent black females has to remain obese?

In a way that's cool because it's acknowledging that there are different body types out there. But at the same time I have to wonder if Waller were white would she have been drawn obese from the start. The only chunky white female character that I can think of is Etta Candy in the Wonder Woman books. And how much does Waller's race and size play into her perception as intimidating or scary?

So far, I'm not convinced about Addai-Robinson. Sometimes its like she tries too hard or something. I liked her better on Spartacus. I like her better than Pam Grier though. So far I've preferred Angela Bassett. She just has a steeliness about her.

 

[p4poetic]

I disagree with the idea that slender, attractive women can't be intimidating. I was cool with the size change for Waller. I enjoyed the original incarnation, but I also like the New 52 version.

There is something a little off about this desire to keep Waller obese. Some of it has to do with that's the way she was originally conceived, but when you have a world of attractive white characters, one of the prominent black females has to remain obese?

In a way that's cool because it's acknowledging that there are different body types out there. But at the same time I have to wonder if Waller were white would she have been drawn obese from the start. The only chunky white female character that I can think of is Etta Candy in the Wonder Woman books. And how much does Waller's race and size play into her perception as intimidating or scary?

So far, I'm not convinced about Addai-Robinson. Sometimes its like she tries too hard or something. I liked her better on Spartacus. I like her better than Pam Grier though. So far I've preferred Angela Bassett. She just has a steeliness about her.

I don't even remember what Bassett did in GL. Matter of act, same for Grier. The only real scene / line I remember is her commenting on Clark's handsome face. She delivered "Welcome to the Suicide Squad" line much better than Deadshot though.

Interesting discussion about weight and race. I personally think it would be the same had she been a white character.

Besides, there's no shortage of attractive black female comic book characters (Storm, Vixen, Jezebel Jet, Fox, Misty Knight, etc).

 

[DarKush]

^
Granted I can't recall much of what Bassett did in GL either. It's just she has a presence that sells me on her as Waller.

 

[Nathan]

I was actually really disappointed by Waller in GL. Not only did she do squat, I didn't even think she had the presence for Waller. I got that from Pam Grier in Smallville though.

 

[Lencho01]

The way Waller was in GL, she might as well have been called Scientist #2.

 

[Dr. Evil]

I wonder if they'll use Amanda Waller for the MoS sequel and the upcoming JL movie.

If she is in it, Viola Davis would be a good choice.

 

[DarKush]

^
Davis would be a very good choice.

 

[baerrtt]

I disagree with the idea that slender, attractive women can't be intimidating. I was cool with the size change for Waller. I enjoyed the original incarnation, but I also like the New 52 version.

There is something a little off about this desire to keep Waller obese. Some of it has to do with that's the way she was originally conceived, but when you have a world of attractive white characters, one of the prominent black females has to remain obese?

In a way that's cool because it's acknowledging that there are different body types out there. But at the same time I have to wonder if Waller were white would she have been drawn obese from the start. The only chunky white female character that I can think of is Etta Candy in the Wonder Woman books. And how much does Waller's race and size play into her perception as intimidating or scary?

So far, I'm not convinced about Addai-Robinson. Sometimes its like she tries too hard or something. I liked her better on Spartacus. I like her better than Pam Grier though. So far I've preferred Angela Bassett. She just has a steeliness about her.

Waller originally stood out with the way she was drawn. A black, obese woman who was a figure of intelligence, power and veered between being a hero and a villain was an original and inspiring choice in the way that female characters, regardless of race, are generically depicted in comics.

 

[p4poetic]

The way Waller was in GL, she might as well have been called Scientist #2.

Seriously. Still racking my brain to see if I can remember anything. I recall her having a flashback where someone was murdered, but that's it.

 

[coluanprime]

Robinson isn't amazing but she isn't awful either. No matter what anyone else says, I love her delivery of the line "Congratulations Mr. Diggle, you're going to be a father!" in Unthinkable.

 

[p4poetic]

Cynthia is Slade Wilson approved

Although he might be a tad bit biased

Robinson isn't amazing but she isn't awful either. No matter what anyone else says, I love her delivery of the line "Congratulations Mr. Diggle, you're going to be a father!" in Unthinkable.

That whole scene is great. "Have you thought about how you're going to explain that to your son? Or is it your daughter? Did doctors specify, or did you want to keep it a surprise?"

Apparently Waller is a gynecologist as well?

I like this look a lot

 

[p4poetic]

Some news for season three

http://www.tvguide.com/news/arrow-season3-andrew-kreisberg-1084620.aspx

How does Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) being pregnant change his mindset when he goes on missions?
Kreisberg: A lot. In fact, a lot of the opening episodes are about Diggle’s changing circumstances and how that’s affecting his decisions and how he approaches being part of Team Arrow. There’s a lot of conflict between Oliver and Dig about Dig now being a father.

There’s also interesting conflict between Dig and Lyla because Lyla is still working at A.R.G.U.S., which we’ve painted as a less than savory organization. That tension between Dig, Lyla and Amanda Waller (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) — as big a part that Amanda is playing in the past, she’s playing just as big a part in the present.