‘Arrow’: Tom Amandes On Noah Kuttler’s Return

Damien Darhk has some very bad
plans for everyone on “Arrow,” and to try and stop him, Felicity
Smoak will have to turn to an unlikely source – her father, Noah.

Tom Amandes is back on
“Arrow” for Wednesday’s “Monument Point” episode, playing
Felicity’s dad, Noah Kuttler, aka The Calculator.

Promo photos have shown Tom’s
character in the “Arrow” cave, computing alongside his daughter
(played by Emily Bett Rickards), as they try and stop Damien’s plans for
nuclear destruction. Tom told Access Hollywood about what’s ahead in the new
episode, including teasing an interaction between Noah and his ex, Donna Smoak
(Charlotte Ross).

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AccessHollywood.com: Did you
always know you were going to do multiple episodes [of ‘Arrow’] this season, at
the very beginning?
Tom Amandes: Yes. … They, of course, keep
things very close to the vest, which is great. I don’t know all of the
situations that are coming up for me, but I’ve heard rumors.

Access: Last time you were on
the show, Noah wasn’t the best dad in the world. [Is he] still the same guy
when we see him on the [next] episode? Still kind of sneaky and out for
himself, so to speak?
Tom: (Laughs) I was sort of tickled in
that you get a chance to see me wrestle with that, which is kind of fun,
because I don’t know if you sensed it in the first couple of episodes, it’s
like yeah, he’s certainly got issues, but there is something redeeming underneath
all that.

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Access: For sure. … I’m curious
where his selfishness comes from. Did you explore that a little bit yourself?
Tom: Well, I think there’ll be some things that
come out that explains some of that. But I think also, he was a disaffected
protester back in the day, who’s seen his ideas of the coming revolution crushed under the
weight of the reaction to it, and he’s had to kind of go underground and
because of that, he’s had to give up a lot of stuff, including his – the
relationship with his daughter.

Access: Do you think he’s proud
of her and all she’s been able to accomplish? She’s quite a magnificent woman,
right?
Tom: Oh, absolutely.
Absolutely. If there’s anything redeeming
about Noah, it’s that. Of course, he sees some of his own talents reflected in
Felicity, but also I think he’s just flat-out a very proud papa when it comes down to it.

Access: What does he think
about the fact that she can challenge him? He’s got a daughter, she’s grown up
and she’s as good as he is really when it comes to all that computer stuff.
Tom: Yes, almost. Obviously she’s got
great skills, but I think that you’ll see – how can I phrase this without
giving away too much – there are synergies between them, put it that way, that
sort of amplify because they both have [those skills].

Access: We know that Damien
Darhk is planning to set off some rather horrible, earth-destroying nuclear
explosions. Felicity is going to turn to your character for help, but what’s in
it for him other than saving his own skin? Does he buy into it? Does he really
think that this is a real thing? How do they even convince him that this is
something that’s in the cards?
Tom: Well, I think you’ll see that not
only do they help convince me, but Mr. Darhk helps convince me as well. It is a
real thing and I think that you see that Noah’s got a sense of proportion when
it comes to this – just realizing that, aside from saving his own skin, he’s
got a daughter that lives in this world as well.

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Access: So are a lot of your
scenes then with Emily in the episode? I know you have a big scene with Stephen
in the episode, but I’m wondering if what we’ll see if you working [mostly] with the
very delightful Emily?
Tom: She is just the best. Yes,
and then let’s see, I guess I can say this — I have the delicious opportunity of
playing opposite Charlotte Ross as well, which is just a blast.

Access: Will  we get some more
explanation as to what exactly went wrong between those two and a little hint
at what brought them together in the first place?
Tom: Yes you will, although I think some
of it’s a little veiled, but I think that you do a get a sense of certainly
what brought them together and then just some interesting choices about how
that ended.

Access: So, tell me about this
heart-to-heart Noah and Oliver are going to have — that should be interesting.
What was that like filming with Mr. Amell?
Tom: Well I mean, for so long we’ve sort
of tiptoed around who’s Felicity actually working for, and again, I’m trying to be
discreet here. Stephen is wonderful, and these scenes are fraught because the
clock is ticking very loudly, but I think that we both have a certain mutual
understanding that we either work together or there may not be anything left to
work for.

Access: Your character’s skills
are behind a keyboard. Do you get involved in any of the action at all? It
certainly seems like if you were going to do a TV action scene this scene this
year, ‘Arrow’ would be a great place to do it.
Tom: Absolutely, and without giving away
too much, I do get involved in some of the action.

Access: Throwing some punches?
Tom: You’re going to have to watch, dammit
(laughs)!

Access: So being called the
Calculator, I’m curious if you were hoping for some sort of costume to go with
it beyond kind of regular duds at all?
Tom: I think the Calculator has a nice
style and doesn’t have to [stray] too far afield. It’s more cerebral. .. I have to say — just
that I have an evil nickname is such a treat.

“Monument Point” airs
Wednesday, May 11 at 8/7c on The CW.

— Jolie Lash