'Arrow' Promotes Colton Haynes to Series Regular for Season 2

Jack Rowand/The CW

"Arrow's" Colton Haynes and Willa Holland

Roy Harper has a bright future in Starling City.

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Colton Haynes, who has been recurring as the iconic character on the CW's Arrow, has been promoted to series regular for season two, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The news comes a month after the former Teen Wolf star made his debut on the network's freshman hit as a mysterious pickpocket who catches the eye of Oliver's (Stephen Amell) kid sister, Thea (Willa Holland).

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During the episode, Roy is revealed to be a kid from the poverty-stricken part of Starling City struggling to make ends meet and take care of his drug-addicted mother. In announcing Haynes' casting in December, his character is described as being "destined" to become a significant part of Thea's life and an important player in the world created by executive producers Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg.

Haynes told THR in February that he was optimistic that the recurring role would lead to something bigger in the show's second season. "Having a younger character like Roy on the show could appeal to a wider audience -- plus, his relationship with Thea is really blossoming. I'm very hopeful," he said.

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In the DC Comics on which the series is based, Roy Harper is Green Arrow's teen sidekick known as Speedy, who first appears alongside the hooded hero in 1941's More Fun Comics #73. More recently, the character was a member of the Teen Titans known as Arsenal and, ultimately, a member of the Justice League of America, where he was known as Red Arrow.

Haynes joins Emily Bett Rickards (who portrays Ollie's IT whiz Felicity Smoak) as series regular for Arrow's second season. He's repped by ICM Partners, Podwall Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit