Kelly Macdonald Joins HBO’s 'Lanterns' As Love Interest
Kelly Macdonald Joins HBO’s 'Lanterns' As Love Interest
The 'No Country For Old Men' and 'Boardwalk Empire’ star and voice of Merida is the first to be cast after the leads
With HBO’s upcoming DC Universe Green Lantern series Lanterns finding its leads in Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, obviously the next step would be filling out the supporting cast. It seems now that it has begun with Emmy-nominated star of Boardwalk Empire, Kelly Macdonald.
Lanterns depicts Stewart as the new recruit being paired with Jordan, considered Lantern legend, as they are “two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.” It stands to reason they’ll be working closely with Macdonald’s character Sheriff Kerry, a “no-nonsense woman deeply devoted to her family and close-knit town. Her resilience, shaped by a complex past that’s hardened her resolve, anchors her when the community’s secrets begin to surface.” She doesn’t come from the comics and from the way she’s described doesn’t seem to match any characters whose name she’s not using. Said devotion to her family probably means either her generation (siblings and cousins) and older (parents, aunts, uncles) still live in town or her kids live primarily with her. This is because she’s reportedly believed to be a potential love interest for Hal, so something has to give. And just because she’s Hal’s reported love interest doesn’t make her a Carol Ferris either.
Having starred on Boardwalk Empire means this role is a return to the network for her, though she first appeared by starring in the David Yates-directed 2005 television movie The Girl in the Café, which was made HBO’s in the United States. Boardwalk Empire will likely be her most recognizable television role for American audiences, with very few series regular roles overall, but her film roles are where the abundance is. Her career began with Trainspotting and would return for its sequel. Her other roles include Gosford Park, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Nanny McPhee, and No Country for Old Men, playing Peter Pan in Finding Neverland, Helena Ravenclaw in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2, and probably most recognizable as the voice of Princess Merida from Disney and Pixar’s Brave and numerous subsequent appearances.
The eight-episode Lanterns series comes from showrunner Chris Mundy, previously of Ozark, and co-writers and executive producers Damon Lindelof (Lost, Watchmen) and Tom King, whose Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow book is the basis of the Universe’s second movie. James Hawes directs the first two episodes and also executive produces. Lanterns is currently set to film from January to June in Atlanta. With the holiday season fast approaching more casting might come out as they all get their flights secured. It is looking as if the series is meant to premiere in early 2026, after Superman, which releases on July 11, 2025, and Peacemaker season 2, which is positioned after and far deeper into production than Lanterns is and already set to premiere more closely after Superman.
Source: Deadline