Kelly Macdonald and Jason Ritter spoke to Collider ahead of Lanterns Episode 7, and Macdonald broke down the quietest, most emotional scene of the episode: the reunion between Sheriff Kerry Kane and the Halogram, the saved version of Hal Jordan from the ring. The scene comes after the show jumps ahead ten years, and it lands because Macdonald described how she approached playing a sheriff who is both tough and vulnerable.
The interview, available on Collider, covers the actors’ approach to playing multiple versions of their characters across two timelines, the tension between Kerry and Billy Macon, and what Macdonald learned about Kerry’s past in Gotham. Macdonald also recalled a similar scene from her time on Boardwalk Empire, where she found a dead actor in a box without warning.
The 2016 Storyline Closes Out
Lanterns is wrapping up its 2016 storyline, which has followed Sheriff Kerry Kane and John Stewart as they investigate the murder of Hal Jordan. The show has spent months building toward a reveal, and Episode 6 brought the timeline to a close. Now the series has jumped forward ten years, putting Kerry and Billy Macon in 2026 as the show creeps closer to confirming who killed Hal.
The new timeline shows how the events of 2016 have permanently changed Rushville. People are still carrying resentment over what happened to the Green Lantern, and the town itself has shifted shape.
Kerry’s Younger Self Gets a Moment
Macdonald spoke about filming a younger version of Kerry, noting that the character is “a bit gothy” and that she got bangs and makeup for the scenes. She said it was “really fancy” to play a Kerry who exists before she became sheriff of Rushville.
“It was really nice to actually film a slightly younger Kerry, and sort of see her, like, she’s a bit gothy.”
The interview also touched on the show’s two distinct timelines. For Kerry, viewers get glimpses of her life before Rushville, including her time in Gotham, where people wanted to kill her. She signed her life over to protect Rushville, and that decision ended up becoming her family.
Billy’s Big-Fish Problem
Ritter was asked which character he would choose to represent him in a legal matter: Billy Macon or Julian. He laughed and picked Julian, saying Billy suffers from “big-fish-in-a-little-pond syndrome.” Billy knows the judges and makes deals, but Ritter thinks Julian is the smarter lawyer.
“I definitely would choose Julian — but maybe Julian with a mustache,” Ritter said.
The question was admittedly less serious, but it pointed to how the actors inhabit their characters across different eras. In 2016, Billy is a courtroom fixture.
The Halogram Reunion Scene
The centerpiece of the interview is Macdonald’s breakdown of Episode 7’s reunion between Kerry and the Halogram. Macdonald described the scene as one where Kerry’s emotions play out across her face in real time, with very little dialogue.
She compared the experience to a Boardwalk Empire episode where her character discovered a dead actor in a box. In Lanterns, she said, the challenge was balancing Hal Jordan’s presence with Kyle Chandler’s performance.
“It’s tricky because Hal Jordan’s still Hal Jordan, but it’s working with somebody so professional and brilliant at their job as Kyle Chandler,” Macdonald said. “He walked on, and just one look in his eyes, and he was not the person that’s got a history with Kerry, and so it just made it really easy. It was easy and emotional.”
Billy’s Fight With John Stewart
The interview also touched on a scene between Billy and John Stewart, where Billy unwisely picks a fight with the Green Lantern. Macdonald noted that the ripple effects of the 2016 incident linger between Hal and John, and that estrangement is something Kerry grapples with in 2026 as she processes the loss of Hal.
The show has been slowly building toward a resolution about Hal’s death, and this scene is one of the quieter ways it gets there.
What the Interview Shows
The interview is worth watching for anyone who wants to understand how Macdonald and Ritter approach their roles. Macdonald talked about the scripts giving Kerry room to feel everything at once, and about the luxury of spending time with a character across episodes rather than compressing her into a single film.
Ritter’s choice to pick Julian for legal matters is a small joke, but it speaks to how he sees Billy’s limitations. Billy is confident in Rushville, but he is not the sharpest legal mind.
The Halogram scene is the highlight. Macdonald’s preparation involved finding a way to let Kerry’s face do the work, and Chandler’s presence made that possible. The result is a quietly emotional moment.
| Episode | Timeline | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 6 | 2016 | The 2016 storyline wraps up |
| Episode 7 | 2026 | Kerry reunites with the Halogram |
| —— | —— | The show closes in on Hal’s killer |
The interview is a reminder that the quieter moments often matter most. Kerry’s reunion with the Halogram is not flashy, but it tells you everything about how she has changed since 2016.
Macdonald’s performance, grounded in the scripts she praised, makes the reunion land. It is a small scene, but it is the right one.
The interview is available on Collider, and it is worth watching for anyone who cares about how these actors do their jobs.
Source material: “'Lanterns' Star Kelly Macdonald Breaks Down Episode 7's Most Quietly Emotional Reunion Scene,” Collider.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.