Aaron Pierre, who portrays John Stewart in the HBO series ‘Lanterns,’ has spoken about the character’s complexities, including an intimate scene in the show’s first episode. Pierre described his character as a former Marine who is “by-the-book” and polite, contrasting with his co-lead Hal Jordan, who is portrayed as more impulsive.
In the pilot episode, titled “Pilot,” Stewart engages in an intimate encounter with a local character named Zoe, played by Poorna Jagannathan. Pierre noted that despite Stewart’s outwardly composed demeanor, he is also human and not afraid to “indulge in what he identifies to be his needs.”
Pierre elaborated on the scene, sharing his appreciation for how it subtly highlights the similarities between Stewart and Jordan. He pointed to a moment where Jordan uses a manifested bottle opener, which Stewart initially observes with a hint of amusement. Later, after the intimate encounter, Stewart uses his Green Lantern ring to light Zoe’s cigarette, demonstrating a similar ability to create or manipulate objects for convenience.
“So it also plays into what Hal and John show each other versus what they actually feel,” Pierre said. “John probably low-key thought [the bottle opener] was pretty cool.”
Jagannathan also commented on the scene, stating that she and Pierre approached such moments “very technically.” She praised Pierre’s performance, calling him a “consummate professional” and expressing that she believes he was “born for this role.”
However, the encounter with Zoe may have unforeseen consequences. It is revealed that Zoe is married to a prominent local figure, William Macon. This twist suggests that Stewart’s indulgence might lead to further complications in the unfolding narrative, which involves a multi-decade murder mystery.
‘Lanterns’ airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.