The Flash: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Grant Gustin
3. He Was Initially Supposed To Appear In Three Episodes Of Arrow
When Gustin was initially cast as Barry Allen on Arrow, the plan was for him to appear in three episodes of the show's second season, with the third serving as a backdoor pilot for The Flash. However, after appearing in the eighth and ninth episode of the season, The CW scrapped that plan and ordered a standalone pilot episode of The Flash instead, meaning that they would have to set up Barry's journey again for the new show.
A number of reasons went into the change of plan, but one of the main ones had to do with how well Gustin's performance as Barry Allen was received. The character was a light-hearted ray of hope and that was, in no small part, due to the young actor's charming offering. And with that in mind, it's hardly surprising that The CW was willing to take a risk on him.
Six seasons later, it's safe to say that risk paid off.