An Exclusive Interview with Arrow's Newest Black Canary Juliana Harkavy

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How is your character’s relationship with Oliver and the gang going to be different than Laurel’s?

Again, it’s just that she comes from such a different background. She wasn’t trained by Oliver. She came from her own place and has her own history and her own separate world so she’s not going in with any knowledge of the team or any relationships that are pre-existing. She really has to build it herself.

Black Canary obviously has a lot of skills already but is there anything Oliver will teach her throughout the rest of this season?

As a fighter, she’s super strong and very well-trained, and while she is going to be training with the team, what she gets from Oliver is more of an emotional thing. She’s going to learn how to be a normal person again and have friends again, and I think that a lot of lessons that Oliver teaches Dinah are lessons from the heart.

There’s a ton of theories and speculation out there on the relationship between your character and the previous Black Canaries on the show. Can you tease anything about when and if we’re going to find that out?

There are so many things going on and being planned that I don’t even know about, so it’s always possible. I wouldn’t put anything out of the realm of possibility, especially on this show. Anything can happen!

You mentioned that Arrow fans are very passionate, so what would you want to say to fans who I guess aren’t quite ready to let go of the old Black Canary and move on to this new one?

I definitely don’t want them to let go of the old Black Canary! I want them to experience what they need to experience. It’s a character that meant something to them. If they need to mourn that character that was lost, then I want to give them time. It takes time to get to know somebody so I don’t expect to come in brand new after 5 seasons and just be welcomed by everyone when they had attachments to previous characters. So I guess I just want them to know that I appreciate and respect their loyalty to their characters. Hopefully, with some time, they’ll get to know my character and learn to love her as well. I’m definitely not upset with anybody though for being upset about what happened.

How’s it been with social media after the introduction of your new character to the show?

I can’t really take anything personally! Any of the “negativity” that has come my way, I don’t take it as a response to me as an actress. I take it as a response to a storyline or a bigger picture thing about the show. I don’t feel it on a personal level. I’ve mostly felt so welcomed on social media, though! I was actually surprised about that. I thought it would be worse but it’s been just really supportive, so that’s really nice!

Oh, that’s great to hear! A lot of us are cheering you on and excited to see where your character goes this season.

I really appreciate that!

How did you first get into acting?

I was born in New York so my parents would take me to the theater from a really early age. I just remember being 5 years old and they took me to go see The Secret Garden, which is about a little girl. And I was a little girl and it was just the most magical thing. The second the lights came on and I saw that little girl swinging on the swing, I just knew. I literally just never wanted to do anything else, so I never did!

Is it hard filming in Vancouver and being away from home?

It’s only difficult because I still have my husband and our dogs back home. So sometimes it’s hard being away but I have a very special kind of husband. He lets me do me and be free and pursue my dreams and he pushes me to do that. While it’s hard to not be together every day, it’s also given me so much confidence to be here and focus on work. I really love it. We’re good at being apart at this point because it’s just the nature of the business.

What’s been your favorite role to play so far?

Oh, that’s a tough one! Every role is satisfying and sort of fulfills something that I needed at a different time. I don’t think I can pick a favorite. I certainly have more characters I can empathize with more than others. Even when you play a villain, you have to go in and find the humanity. And you still end up falling in love with them. So I really can’t pick one to be a favorite! Playing Black Canary in Arrow is definitely on the top of the ‘fun’ list though!

If you could be in any tv show or movie that’s been rebooted with an all female cast, what would it be?

That’s a great question! I think The Sopranos! (laughs)

That is the best answer!

The women in that show are already so powerful; it would just be double the power!

Yes, love that! That’s the goal of Culturess — to give women some power. We love kick-ass characters like the one you’re playing right now. So just to wrap this up, what’s it been like for you to portray such a strong female role on TV right now?

Honestly, it’s such an incredible honor. It is one of the most important things about this show. I can play this strong woman who is a physical equal and mental equal to everyone on the show, and I think everyone on Arrow is like that. It has male and female characters, but regardless of gender, they’re just all badasses. As a woman, I just want young women and girls to watch this show and tell themselves that they can do this, that they’re not weaker and they’re not less. It means a lot to me to be able to give them that opportunity, to imagine themselves as strong and equal.

Don’t miss Juliana Harkavy as Dinah Drake in the next episode of Arrow on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 8/7c on The CW.

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An Exclusive Interview with Arrow’s Newest Black Canary Juliana Harkavy

By Kelsey Juntwait | Feb 19, 2017