The CW has given a lot of stars the opportunity to make a name for themselves. The network has something for everyone, from heart wrenching drama to intense action sequences. The shows are host to many different characters, but the strong-willed and tough ones tend to stand out.
Of course acting is just that– acting. Not every rough and tough actor is the same way in real life. It’s hard to believe that the people audiences see kicking butt on television are actually cute and cuddly in real life.
Some performances are so good that it’s hard to tell if the actor is playing tough or actually tough in real life.
With all of the superhero shows on the network, it’s easy to believe every actor is an intense martial artists who knows how to fight.
The Winchesters totally seem like they know how to shoot a gun in real life and the Salvatore brothers are believable kick-butt vamps. The camera can create quite the illusion. So which actors are the real deal and which are faking their tough personas? It’s time to find out.
Here are the 7 CW Stars Who Are Legitimately Tough (And 8 Who Are Only Tough On Screen).
Not tough: Misha Collins from Supernatural
Castiel is a fan-favorite character on Supernatural. While he can be adorable and naive, he’s also strong, intense, and dangerous. The tough angel knows how to put up a fight and will do whatever it takes to help the greater good.
Misha Collins also does whatever he can for the greater good, but he isn’t nearly as intense or tough as Castiel is. Collins is a soft goofball with a heart of gold.
He is always raising money or awareness for one charity or another and even started his own nonprofit called Random Acts.
He loves spending time with his kids and makes adorable videos with them he posts online.
Collins isn’t afraid to be sensitive and often writes or recites poetry.
His life revolves around helping other people and bringing joy to everyone’s life, whether through charity work or through his character on the show.
Tough: Stephen Amell from Arrow
You have to possess some sort of toughness to play Oliver Queen. The masked vigilante kicks serious bad-guy butt in Star City. He’s strong, resilient, and skilled with a bow and arrow. Is Stephen Amell just as tough as Oliver Queen?
Not only is the actor in great shape, he has the skills to back it up.
Amell ran the American Ninja Warrior course in the show’s celebrity addition and he destroyed it. Just like Oliver in the Arrow Cave on the show, Amell dominated the salmon ladder on the course.
There aren’t many people who could handle the star’s workout routine. He also tried his hand at WWE wrestling a few times. There’s no doubt that Stephen Amell is tough on and off screen.
Not tough: Jensen Ackles from Supernatural
Dean Winchester is arguably one of the toughest characters on the CW. He’s portrayed as the stereotypical tough guy. He gets all of the women, chows down on burgers, drives a sweet muscle car, and knows how to kick some serious demon butt. However, many fans have wondered if actor Jensen Ackles is anything like his character.
While he certainly shares some characteristics with Dean after playing him for thirteen seasons, Ackles is a total sweetheart in real life. Not only is he a huge goofball around his castmate Jared Padalecki, but he also loves to sing. That isn’t a traditional “tough guy” skill.
Ackles is also a family man who adores his children. He even let his daughter JJ do his makeup. Although they aren’t very similar, both Jensen Ackles and Dean Winchester have huge fanclubs.
Tough: David Ramsey from Arrow
Oliver Queen takes center stage on Arrow, but John Diggle can certainly hold his own in a fight. The former soldier-turned-bodyguard-turned-vigilante is a force to be reckoned with.
David Ramsey may not be quite as tough as Spartan, but he’s definitely tough. The actor doesn’t just pretend to fight on screen, he is a real life martial artist. He has more than twenty years of training in different martial arts as well as kickboxing. He even has a black belt to show for it.
Choreographed fights for the camera are a little different, but his training definitely comes in hand on the set of Arrow.
It’s hard to say who is stronger– Stephen Amell or David Ramsey. Maybe some sort of competition is in order to figure it out?
Not Tough: Ian Somerhalder from Vampire Diaries
Damon Salvatore is the ultimate vampire bad boy. He’s edgy, violent, and his character possesses an alluring sense of danger. Does the actor that plays the tough vampire have the same personality? Not even remotely.
Ian Somerhalder is a total sweetheart.
He is incredibly charitable and has raised money for countless causes. He even started his own organization called the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, which fights to help animals as well as the environment.
The actor also has multiple rescue pets, including a horse. He even helped build an animal sanctuary. While his character Damon is a bloodsucking bad boy, Somerhalder is selfless and shows compassion for all living beings.
His desire to change the world is sweet and inspiring. He may be more of an angel than a vampire in real life.
Tough: Ricky Whittle from The 100
Lincoln was a fan-favorite character on The 100. He was strong, dependable, and rebellious. When his character was cut out, fans were extremely upset that they weren’t going to see Ricky Whittle on their show anymore.
However, is Whittle anything like Lincoln? Whittle is definitely tough and could hold his own in a fight with the Grounders. When he’s not busy filming, he’s playing football or training in the gym.
He was even the running back for the Manchester Titans American Football team for a while.
He doesn’t just train in any gym, either. He goes to the Unbreakable gym in LA that NFL players and UFC fighters train in. Only the toughest people workout there, including Sylvester Stallone.
Anyone who works out alongside Rocky himself has to be tough.
Not tough: John Barrowman from Arrow
Malcolm Merlyn is one of the most dangerous characters on Arrow. He’s a skilled archer, strong fighter, and incredibly clever. Trained by the League of Assassins, not much can shake the Dark Archer. Merlyn rarely smiles and doesn’t find a whole lot amusing.
John Barrowman, on the other hand, is a complete goofball.
He loves to play pranks on set, prance around on convention stages in costume, and sing showtunes. He is nothing like the dark, stoic tough guy he plays. The actor has even said that he’ll immediately start giggling after pretending to be serious for the camera.
He’s extremely sweet and interactive with fans. He goes out of his way to meet them and make them smile. While fans adore him, Malcolm Merlyn would hate the man who portrays him on screen.
Tough: Kim Rhodes from Supernatural
Sheriff Jody Mills is such a kick-butt character that she’s getting her own spinoff– along with the other cool ladies of Supernatural.
Kim Rhodes has been advocating for a female-led spinoff along with her castmate Briana Buckmaster for a while and their wish finally came true with Wayward Sisters.
Jody Mills is smart, strong, and can hold her own in a fight. She’s been known to help save the Winchester boys once or twice on her own.
Just like her character Jody is a tough, empowered woman, Rhodes is pretty tough herself. She’s a huge advocate for women’s empowerment and highlights the strength of women in her everyday life.
She has also trained a little bit to possesses similar skills to the ones Jody has so the filming looks more realistic. Not only does she set a fictional example of a strong woman, but she also has the skills and intelligence to back it up in real life.
Not tough: Bob Morley from The 100
Bellamy Blake is one of the strongest characters on The 100. He’s led the group through some horrendous situations and always has to make hard decisions. He’s strong, impulsive, rebellious, and knows how to take charge. Though he occasionally clashes with Clarke Griffin, overall he is a strong character.
Bob Morley, however, has a much different demeanor. While Bellamy’s voice is gruff and commanding, Morley’s real-life Australian accent isn’t quite as intimidating as it is adorable.
Not only does the actor look and sound different than Bellamy, but he also has a big heart.
Morley absolutely loves his dogs and often has them with him in videos. He’ll also tweet cute stories and pictures of them in his free time.
Tough: Dominic Purcell from Legends of Tomorrow
Mick Rory is arguably the toughest member of the team on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. He drinks a lot, punches everyone who looks at him funny, and avoids dealing with his emotions at all costs. He is the quintessential tough guy and doesn’t let anyone push him around.
Dominic Purcell is pretty tough himself.
In order to keep up his muscular demeanor for his characters, he constantly works out. He spent years playing rugby and surfing, and is always training in the gym.
That training is what the actor said saved his life after an accident on the set of Prison Break. A huge iron bar fell on his head and the stunt guy said he could see Purcell’s skull.
Only the strongest, toughest person could survive such an intense accident.
Not tough: Joseph Morgan from The Originals
Klaus from The Originals is definitely tough. The character is savage and isn’t afraid to attack or harm whoever gets in his way. When he does get in touch with his emotions, he’s quick to push them aside or lash out.
While he’s become more of an anti-hero than a villain since first appearing on The Vampire Diaries, he isn’t exactly a compassionate or sensitive character.
Joseph Morgan, on the other hand, is a total romantic and has a big heart. The actor said he never expected to get married but he fell hard for his now-wife, Persia.
He also has a love for his dog who was a stray they fostered and then decided to adopt.
Not only does he love his wife and dog, but he also has a musical side. He plays guitar and sings Mumford and Sons in the shower. None of these even remotely sound like something a tough hybrid-vampire like Klaus would do.
Tough: Caity Lotz from Legends of Tomorrow
From working alongside the Green Arrow to training with the League of Assassins, Sara Lance from Legends of Tomorrow is incredibly tough. The team leader doesn’t let anyone shove her around and isn’t afraid to take charge.
Actress Caity Lotz is also tough. The martial arts that viewers see on screen aren’t just choreography. Lotz is a kick-butt martial artist in real life.
She’s trained in multiple styles of martial arts, including taekwondo and wushu.
She even does some of her own stunts. Before getting into acting, she considered being a stunt person. Only someone tough in real life would be willing to jump through glass or leap off of buildings for their job.
On top of all this, she’s also a trained dancer and was in an all-girl musical group. Lotz is certainly someone you wouldn’t want to pick a fight with.
Not tough: Paul Wesley from Vampire Diaries
While Stefan Salvatore is definitely the more sensitive of the vampire brothers, he is still tough. No one wanted to get on his bad side, because once he gave into his vampire instincts he would rip people apart. Paul Wesley, on the other hand, has a huge heart and would never hurt a fly.
His character drinks the blood of animals, and occasionally of a human, but Wesley is reportedly vegan. Much like his co-star Ian Somerhalder, he is a huge supporter of animal rights.
He partnered with the Humane Society to help pigs and opposes large factory farming.
Not only does the actor have compassion for animals, but he’s also not afraid to cry and show his sensitive side. Wesley supposedly cried when he read the final script for the Vampire Diaries.
Tough: Manu Bennett from Arrow
Manu Bennett’s version of Deathstroke was so great that fans were pushing for him to appear in the DCEU. Of course, the DCEU went with Joe Manganiello instead, but the Arrowverse’s Deathstroke is still immensely badass.
Deathstroke is a rough and tough assassin, unafraid of danger. Bennett also isn’t afraid of a little danger and even did his own stunts on the set of Spartacus.
He ended up being stabbed by another actor during a scene during which they were using real swords. He still has a scar from the incident.
The actor also isn’t afraid of a little brawling, much like his character. During a convention one weekend, a man was messing with Bennett and the actor reeled back and punched the man.
He’s not quite as tough as Deathstroke, but he’s still tough nonetheless.
Not Tough: Jared Padalecki from Supernatural
Sam Winchester has endured a lot on Supernatural. He’s battled demons, witches, and even Lucifer himself. There’s no doubt that both Winchester brothers are tough as nails.
Jared Padalecki, however, is a big softie. He’s very open about his emotions and isn’t afraid to share his sensitive side with his fans. His wife, Genevieve Cortese, shared a heartfelt letter he wrote to his children on Father’s Day.
Not only does he have a big heart for his family, but he is also incredibly generous and charitable.
He works very closely with the charity To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) and has spoken out about his battle with depression and uses his own experiences to help people going through similar issues.
Much like his co-stars Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles, he has a big heart for his fans and goes out of his way to make them feel loved.
