Arrow newcomer Echo Kellum, who plays Curtis Holt, will be a series regular in season 5.
Kellum, who first appeared in Arrow season 4, episode 2, “The Candidate,” has become increasingly prominent as the season has gone on. In the previous episode, “Beacon of Hope,” Curtis discovered the Arrow cave and learned the identities of the Green Arrow, Black Canary and Spartan, as well as the fact that Quentin Lance works with them. It seemed like he was being set up to be the new Felicity, as she’d previously quit the team, but at the end of the episode, he returned to his husband, deciding that life wasn’t for him.
However, Curtis also has a comic book destiny as Mister Terrific. We’ve gotten some hints to that effect as the season has gone on (including his T Spheres and his use of the word terrific), but hopefully the fact that he will be a series regular means we’ll see him suiting up as well.
Kellum’s promotion to series regular also brings some needed diversity to the main cast. With only one main character of color in Diggle, it will be nice to see a second. Additionally, Curtis is a gay character. We’ve had bisexual Sara Lance and lesbian Nyssa al Ghul, but neither are regulars on Arrow.
Kellum tweeted the following when the new broke:
Well. The cat is out of the bag. You will legit be seeing a lot of me next year #Arrow fans!!! ?????????? https://t.co/Yuj0cAXdfF
— Echo Kellum (@EchoK) April 4, 2016
Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on The CW.