Lanterns Star Kelly Macdonald On Episode 2's Surprise Gotham Reveal: "It Was Huge"

Lanterns Star Kelly Macdonald On Episode 2's Surprise Gotham Reveal: "It Was Huge"

Episode 2 of HBO's Lanterns revealed that Sheriff Kerry Kane is actually from Gotham City, which actress Kelly Macdonald views as a "huge" deal...

By MarkCassidy - Aug 27, 2026 12:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Lanterns

During this past Sunday's second episode of Lanterns, "Trust Fall," Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and Sheriff Kerry Kane spend some time together when the Green Lantern winds up in the hospital after being shot through the shoulder while attempting to question William Macon (Garret Dillahunt) on his ranch.

Kane opens up to Jordan for the first time, revealing that she is actually from Gotham City and moved to Rushville "on a whim."

This was most likely little more than a throwaway nod to Batman's home, but a lot of fans believe there might be more to it. One outlandish theory posits that Kerry might actually be Kate Kane, aka Batwoman. A relation, maybe, but people don't usually change their first name and keep their surname if they're trying to start over with a new identity!

Actress Kelly Macdonald didn't give anything away during a new interview with EW, but she was very excited by this aspect of her character's backstory.

“It was huge. It was very exciting. It’s like finding out you’re a Disney princess or something. It’s like, ‘Oh my God! Gotham!’ She’s an outsider, as well, and she’s been embraced by this small town.”

Macdonald also revealed that she watched a lot of The Penguin (which is not set in the same universe as Lanterns) while preparing for her role.

“Within the first couple of months of the shoot, as well, I was watching The Penguin at the same time. Sometimes I’d been over-watching The Penguin, and I’d be going through my dialogue in my trailer, and I’d realize I was doing the whole Gotham thing. I’d be like, ‘Turn it down a little bit,’ ‘cause I’d been told very specifically, ‘She’s from Gotham but don’t do the accent thing.’ She has to be more ambiguous than that. I’m sure you’ll be able to tell the scenes where I’ve been watching The Penguin.”

We may find out whether Sheriff Kane being from Gotham will have any relevance to the story when Lanterns continues this Sunday.

HBO in association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios. The pilot episode is co-written by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, who are co-creators for the series. Mundy serves as showrunner. The first two episodes are directed by James Hawes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Alik Sakharov also tapped to direct. The series is executive produced by Mundy, Lindelof, James Gunn, Peter Safran, King, Ron Schmidt, and Hawes. Based on the DC comic characters from Green Lantern.

The series stars Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen, Nathan Fillion, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Jasmine Cephas Jones.

The series follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

About The Author:
MarkCassidy
Member Since 11/9/2008
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.
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BisonScarBlood
BisonScarBlood - 8/27/2026, 12:20 PM
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whatthetruck
whatthetruck - 8/27/2026, 12:44 PM
@BisonScarBlood - SHES SCOTTISH?! I thought she was from Texas or tenessee or some shit!
MrDandy
MrDandy - 8/27/2026, 3:33 PM
@whatthetruck - she plays the princess in Brave. Of course she is Scottish.
TheRevelation
TheRevelation - 8/27/2026, 5:51 PM
@whatthetruck - ...acting.
InfinitePunches
InfinitePunches - 8/27/2026, 12:20 PM
She's a good actress. Wish she was playing a comic book character. She'd make a good Carol.
Nonameforme
Nonameforme - 8/27/2026, 12:24 PM
Shes really good. I like her.
LibraMattered
LibraMattered - 8/27/2026, 12:28 PM
It would be pretty crazy is she was the Manhunter! Woah!!! Minds blown.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/27/2026, 12:43 PM
@LibraMattered - it would be but let’s remember she’s in 2026 too so I don’t think so unless we find out the Manhunter isn’t the villain everyone is making them out to be.

My guess is either Zoe (which seems a bit too obvious) or Kerry’s son Noah since I feel like a kid being the Manhunter thus putting Hal and John into a dilemma is something this show could do.
whatthetruck
whatthetruck - 8/27/2026, 12:45 PM
@LibraMattered - My moneys on the GILF. The writing isnt THAT good.
thedrudo
thedrudo - 8/27/2026, 4:40 PM
@LibraMattered - I’m leaning that way too.
LibraMattered
LibraMattered - 8/28/2026, 12:43 AM
@whatthetruck - I can see that. She’s pretty mysterious. John Stewart hooked up with a Manhunter!!!
LibraMattered
LibraMattered - 8/28/2026, 12:44 AM
@TheVisionary25 - it’s a possibility. Martian Manhunter could be a good guy in this series.
whatthetruck
whatthetruck - 8/28/2026, 8:11 PM
@LibraMattered - I don't think its Martian Manhunter though... the Manhunters were their own race of universal cops in the comics who blended in to societies to target wrongdoers or something like that, though I don't know much about it. If it MM is in this I'd be so [frick]ing pumped for that.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/27/2026, 12:36 PM
@ClarkJoeKent -
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ClarkJoeKent
ClarkJoeKent - 8/27/2026, 12:38 PM
@bobevanz -Youre Gunns #1 Glazer 😂🙈
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/27/2026, 12:43 PM
@ClarkJoeKent - I'm simply rooting for the underdog. You do the same for Snyder lmao except one of them is still relevant. Guess which one
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MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 8/27/2026, 1:43 PM
@ClarkJoeKent - Uh-oh
ClarkJoeKent
ClarkJoeKent - 8/27/2026, 4:10 PM
@bobevanz - Hes No UNDERDOG! Hes just a SHITTY director. Thanks to Gunn Zack Snyder will be BACK in 2027. iMAX is promoting his JLA on SOCIAL MEDIA...nobody wants to promote shit fro Gunn. Hes a JOKE like his DCU!
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/27/2026, 12:35 PM
I loved her in Trainspotting and Boardwalk Empire and I look forward to this show every week now.
FireGunn
FireGunn - 8/27/2026, 12:35 PM
No it wasn't. No one cares about this bland ass character.

Reboot the MCU and DCU
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/27/2026, 12:37 PM
@FireGunn -
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ClarkJoeKent
ClarkJoeKent - 8/27/2026, 12:39 PM
@FireGunn - Cant wait til 2027!!!!!
FireGunn
FireGunn - 8/27/2026, 1:23 PM
@bobevanz - Cope
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 8/27/2026, 7:32 PM
@FireGunn - you spelled nope rong. I mean dope. You smelled dope wrong.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/27/2026, 12:39 PM
That was a cool bit of backstory we got last episode for the character…

I quite like Kerry so far and I hope we do find out more about her seemingly “in debt” relationship with William Macon as well as her “unsmooth” marriage with Billy Macon.

However , I certainly don’t think she’s a version of Kate Kane or anyone associated with Batman given Martha Wayne’s maiden name in some iterations is Kane but most likely an homage to Gil Kane who was one of the co-creators of Hal Jordan.

Also , it’s funny that she talks about her finding out Kerry is from Gotham as being equivalent to finding out one’s a Disney princess since she’s already one…

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Anyway , looking forward to seeing more of Sheriff Kerry Kane and her story this season!!.
agnosticbatman
agnosticbatman - 8/27/2026, 12:41 PM
Why are you so shitty all the time? Seriously. Non-existent love life? Parents keep threatening to kick you out because you’re over 30?
FireGunn
FireGunn - 8/27/2026, 1:07 PM
@agnosticbatman - Enjoy your slop
Moriakum
Moriakum - 8/27/2026, 12:44 PM
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WEAPONXOXOXO
WEAPONXOXOXO - 8/27/2026, 1:35 PM
@Moriakum - Well played sir.
OgHerManM
OgHerManM - 8/27/2026, 12:44 PM
What if she's Barbra's Mom!
Waifuslayer2
Waifuslayer2 - 8/27/2026, 1:06 PM
THEY SAID THE THING! I CLAPPED WHEN I HEARD THE THING!
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VICTHEMAN
VICTHEMAN - 8/27/2026, 1:34 PM
I like her character. I loved her in Boardwalk Empire.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 8/27/2026, 7:36 PM
@VICTHEMAN - phenomenal actress, makes me want to rewatch it
VICTHEMAN
VICTHEMAN - 8/28/2026, 11:56 AM
@TheWalkingCuban - That's the only reason why I remembered her. Back in March I rewatched it. I think it's almost 15 years old now. I was a great series.
Forthas
Forthas - 8/27/2026, 1:55 PM
Here is my theory. The Manhunter is John Stewart senior. The scene where the Manhunter seems to transform in front of Johns mother and him as an infant shows the early connection except that is not John that is his brother. I am not sure what it is about John that connects him to the Manhunter but that is why he is so callous as to shoot an apple off his head but not his brothers. It is clear that he is still alive. He is the one pushing John to become a Lantern so he can use his relationship to him to take advantage and get to the Guardians. I think Sinestro might know this which is why he thinks John Stewart is the greater threat to Hal Jordan. This Manhunter has trained John to be a powerful Lantern by eliminating his fear. It is like Palpatine helping create Darth Vader.
RobertARZVenez
RobertARZVenez - 8/27/2026, 2:16 PM
@Forthas - That’s a really good theory, but I think the person who transforms in front of John's mother is Laura Linney's character—who is supposed to be one of the Guardians. Here's why: you have to ask yourself a certain question.
If the Manhunter crashed in Rushville along with Abin Sur, how did it end up where John—or John's parents—live?
By the way, I don't know much about the comics—could someone clarify which city John lives in? I'm not sure if the series mentioned it. So, I don't think the Manhunter has any connection to John, given that it was supposedly in Rushville all those years following the Abin Sur incident.
Forthas
Forthas - 8/27/2026, 2:55 PM
@RobertARZVenez - There are a couple of gaps in my theory but they are not fatal flaws. I don't know what happened to John's mother so it is unclear if she is still in the picture or when she might have left or died. But another potential link to John Senior is that the anti-alien group has apparent ties to the government to get the technology they have...Johns father is in the military and could have achieved a high level position so he could be the "benefactor" who they keep referring to who has them under an NDA. I think the Manhunter is setting up operations in Rushville and there are of course other aliens there but that does not mean he has stayed there the whole time.
RobertARZVenez
RobertARZVenez - 8/27/2026, 4:10 PM
@Forthas - Well, I’m not saying they’re fatal flaws—far from it! But I hadn't looked at it from that angle you mentioned—about John's dad being in the army and his various connections. You make a good point there! And yeah, the truth is that the mystery surrounding his mother will be resolved in this episode—that’s something I’m really intrigued by!
Forthas
Forthas - 8/27/2026, 5:54 PM
@RobertARZVenez -

"the truth is that the mystery surrounding his mother will be resolved in this episode.."

I think that will make or break my theory! We will see!
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