It might be easy to forget given how glamorous it looks, but acting is, first and foremost, a job. As such, performers are not always fully immersed in the material they're delivering. That's often true for superhero adaptations. Comic book films and television series have dominated Hollywood for nearly two decades. Because of that, there are very few actors remaining who haven't been part of some sort of superhero adaptation. Much like general audiences, though, not every actor is in tune with the rich lore of either Marvel or DC characters.
In fact, that's case for most actors stepping into the genre. That's understandable, of course, since, as mentioned, it's a job. However, that's what makes it so refereshing when an actor playing a superhero is, for lack of a better word, a nerd, like the rest of us. They're in tune with their characters' source material and are clearly excited to be in the positions they're in. Some of the most notable performers in that category are Spider-Man's Tom Holland, Ms. Marvel's Iman Vellani, and, of most recently Lanterns' Aaron Pierre.
Pierre will star as John Stewart alongside Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan in DC Studios' Lanterns, releasing on HBO in 2026. Pierre is a fan of his character, having watched him in the DCAU Justice League Unlimited animated series. Now, the actor has displayed his love for the ring-wielding hero in an awesome way. Pierre did a collaboration with influencer Jordan Howlett, a.k.a. @jordan_the_stallion_8, where they baked brownies together.
At the start of the video (shared on Howlett's Instagram), Pierre filmed himself in front of a mirror, where he showed off a beautiful Green Lantern-themed necklace. Below is a screenshot with a closer look at the accessory:
The press tour for the show hasn't started, and will likely not start for another few months. Thus, him wearing Green Lantern-themed jewelry is likely him showing appreciation for his character. And so, us geeks can shout in unison... "One of us! One of us! One of us!"
John Stewart is a pivotal character in DC history, and this is the first time he's been adaptated for live-action (aside from David Ramsey's John Diggle in the Arrowverse). Considering that, seeing the actor who will bring him to life showing such reverence for him just warms a comic book reader's heart. In 2024, Pierre revealed his history with John Stewart to Entertainment Weekly: "I think Justice League Unlimited might have been one of my first introductions to John Stewart."
He also opened up about the audition process for the hero. Pierre stated he mostly kept himself out of the loop, and instead focused on giving the best performance he could:
"It was a beautiful experience. [...] Despite my job, I'm an introvert, and I am somewhat of a recluse, so I wasn't too aware of the conversation surrounding any updates. I was just locked into giving the very best version that I could of this beautiful character in the rigorous audition processes. I'm a firm believer that what's meant for you won't miss you. So, I gave my best and then set it free. Now, I've been gifted the opportunity to bring this beautiful character to life, and hopefully, I serve John Stewart. Hopefully, I serve the Green Lantern Corps. We're just really excited for the people to see what we put together here."
That isn't the only time Pierre shared his enthusiasm for the role, though. During an interview with Comicbook.com in 2024, he was asked what he could say about John Stewart and Lanterns, to which he replied: "Not much. But what I can tell you is that the team are just super, super excited to have this opportunity to bring this story to the people. And so far as I'm concerned, I'm gonna do my very best to serve and honor and elevate in any way I can, John Stewart and the Green Lantern Corps. And hopefully I serve that, and it resonates with people."
Lastly, when his casting on Lanterns was announced, Pierre posted the news on Instagram, and called landing the role "a dream come true":
Lanterns is expected to premiere on HBO Max in late summer 2026.
What did you think about Pierre's Green Lantern necklace? How excited are you to see him in Lanterns? Leave your thoughts in the comments!