Summary

• Gustin doubted he would land the role of The Flash due to his age and physical appearance.
• Gustin didn't believe he fit the superhero mold, questioning why he was even considered for the role.
• Despite initial doubts, Gustin got the role, and reflects on portraying Barry Allen as beyond what he could have ever imagined.

DC TV star Grant Gustin gets detailed about his Arrowverse audition for The Flash TV show. By the end of this month, it will have been exactly one year since The Flash season 9 finished its run on The CW. While it started as an Arrow spinoff, The Flash ended up being the longest-running series in the entire Arrowverse.

During a new Men's Health feature spotlight, Gustin was asked to look back at his initial audition in 2013 when he landed the role of Barry Allen in Arrow season 2, which paved the way for The Flash TV show. As Gustin talked heavily about being unsure if he was right for the role, he shared the following on eventually landing the gig:

Grant Gustin: It never crossed my mind. I mean, I was 23 when I auditioned for that show and thought I had no chance of getting it. I didn't even want to go to the audition. I was like, 'This is a waste of my time and their time.' In the breakdown it said he was late twenties to early thirties. He's big and buff and blonde in the comics. I was just like, 'Why are they even seeing me?' I had imposter syndrome about even going to that audition. The idea of 'Do I want this?' never even crossed my mind. That was similar to now doing Water for Elephants—beyond a dream come true. Getting to play a superhero someday wasn't even something I could have dreamed.

Why The Arrowverse Was Right To Cast Grant Gustin As The Flash

When Gustin was initially cast as The Flash, many commented on how he may have been too young for Barry, with a lot of audience members expecting him to be closer to Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen. However, it didn't take long for the Arrowverse fans to be won over by Gustin's Scarlet Speedster. Casting Gustin was one of the best Arrowverse casting choices, setting up The Flash for a massively successful run.

As Gustin was growing up through his twenties, so was Barry, allowing The Flash viewers to literally watch the evolution of a young man becoming one of the most iconic DC heroes. The Barry that fans started following in 2013 grew into The Flash that readers know from the comics by the time the series finale came around. That is why, to this day, Gustin's Flash is defined as the best one in live-action by fans all over the world.

From all of Gustin's moments as The Flash in the Arrowverse, it is understandable why many also want to see him come back at some point. Perhaps down the line, James Gunn's DC Universe will tackle the multiverse and allow Gustin to reprise the role in some capacity. But until then, the world can relive the entire run of The Flash through streaming and on Blu-Ray/DVD.

Source: Men's Health