Why did Colton Haynes decide to leave Teen Wolf and Arrow? Find out here.
by Ana Walia | Wed, 01 Jun 2022 20:00:30 GMT
Colton Hayes on his decision to leave Teen Wolf and Arrow. Image Source: ET Online 

Colton Haynes opens up about why he decided to leave Teen Wolf and Arrow.

In his memoir, Miss Memory Lane, Colton Haynes writes about his decision to quit Teen Wolf and Arrow. It was reported at the time that the actor and the network were at odds over contractual terms, but his memoir goes into greater detail about the situation.

Colton Haynes wrote that the real reason why he left MTV’s hit show Teen Wolf back in 2012 was that the network was not ready to pay the actor the same amount as the other actors, and added that it wasn’t a lot, to begin with by Hollywood standards. The actor writes that even though his work quote was the fee he would be paid to appear on anyone’s show, it was more than most of the cast.

The actor also mentioned that his inner circle did not make things easy for him when he decided to leave the show, and he writes in his memoir that they did not help. He explained that the people who represented him at the time created a lot of problems for the production and called it a "living hell", and because of that, the production refused to pay him the standard salary.

MTV did not want to cast Colton Haynes over his photo shoot for a gay men's magazine named XY. Image Source: EW 

In his revelations, he shared that because an executive at MTV did not want a cast member who had previously appeared in a picture for a gay men's magazine named XY, Jeff Davis had to battle for him to be put on the show. Colton Haynes claimed that his manager informed him at the time that they didn't employ him because of the photograph and that they were working their tails off to put it out, and that God Jeff Davis battled for him. Colton Haynes expressed his gratitude to Jeff Davis for fighting for him and expressed his desire to not squander the chance that had been provided to him.

When Colton Haynes was a teenager, he and his then-boyfriend, Jay, undertook the aforementioned XY picture session. Colton Haynes says his agency spent years mailing cease-and-desist letters to everyone who shared his XY shoot after he transitioned from a model to a closeted actor. The actor says that now when he looks at those photographs he adores them because they look so sincere, so genuine. Colton Haynes said that the pictures perfectly represent the era in which he was living and it was just him expressing himself to the camera as a gay person.

Colton Haynes also stated that he donned varsity-styled clothing to hide his sexuality during the auditions because he felt it would butch him up a bit. He added that he had to repress his emotions to match his appearance, which was that of a foolish, dumb jock with just enough ridiculous charm to having people like him and the character he portrayed.

While the actor was publicly homosexual as a youngster when he arrived in Hollywood, he went back into the closet and was upfront about his sexuality with those closest to him but not with the broader public, according to a prior interview and his newly released memoir. He claims that he was asked to hide his sexuality since it may have harmed his work prospects. In his memoir, Colton Haynes argues that no matter who was on his team, the message he always got was that if he was himself (a gay guy), he wouldn't be able to work.

Colton Haynes as Roy Harper/Arsenal in Arrow. Image Source: Heroic Hollywood 

Later, the actor who appeared in The CW’s Arrow, in which he appeared as Roy Harper/Arsenal for eight seasons, decided to take a leave towards the end of season seven but did appear in season eight only in a limited capacity. In his memoir, he writes that he decided to walk away from his full-time job on Arrow at the beginning of the year because his contract had ended, but in reality, it was because he was too depressed and could not stand working with one of his castmates. When Colton Haynes did not mention the name of the cast member, he could not stand it.

Colton Haynes, who returned to Teen Wolf as a guest star for two episodes in September 2017 as a part of the show’s finale, revealed that his character was queer and was dating a character named Ethan, played by Charlie Carver. The actor is now all set to make a comeback to the Teen Wolf world in Paramount+’s Teen Wolf: The Movie, which is going to star Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Dylan Sprayberry, and Tyler Hoechlin. Teen Wolf: The Movie began production in March and is expected to hit the streaming service later this year.

Colton Haynes' book, Miss Memory Lane, is available now.

RELATED ARTICLES