In the latest episode of HBO's 'Lanterns,' Kelly Macdonald’s character, Sheriff Kerry Kane, is shown in a flashback to Gotham, the city synonymous with Batman. Episode 5 features a cold open where a younger Kerry Kane is on the run and attacked by thugs connected to her deceased father's ties to Gotham's criminal underworld. Her finger is severed before she is rescued by Zoe, who not only defeats the pursuers but also regrows Kerry's finger, establishing a debt that explains the town's devotion to Zoe.
During discussions about the accent for the character, who is established as being from Gotham, director James Hawes advised Macdonald to avoid an overly pronounced New York-style accent. "He said, ‘She's from Gotham, but we don't want to be heavy-handed with that and make it too much of a New York-y kind of accent,'" Macdonald told DECIDER. Hawes suggested an "east coast" sound, tempered by the character's extended time living in Nebraska. Macdonald noted that while it would have been simpler to adopt a more overt Gotham accent, the directorial approach aimed for a softer tone to reflect Kerry's life in Rushville.
Macdonald expressed a desire to further explore Kerry Kane's backstory in Gotham, though she acknowledged the narrative challenge of portraying a younger version of the character. "She does have a history, yeah," Macdonald stated, finding the current glimpses of her past to be sufficiently intriguing.