Attendees flooded through the doors of the Directors Guild of America Theater Complex on Aug. 27, to get a first look at the latest episode of Lanterns.
In the audience, dozens of people donned green outfits in honor of the famed D.C. comic book hero, who originally hit shelves back in the 1940s. Since then, there’ve been multiple adaptations of the famed intergalactic warrior, with John Stewart becoming the first Black Green Lantern in 1971.
Stewart’s character is front-and-center in HBO’s adaptation of the Green Lantern story, and actors J. Alphonse Nicholson and Jasmine Cephas Jones take center stage in Episode 3.
Nicholson and Jones spoke to the crowd following the screening, alongside the episode’s lead writer Vanessa Baden Kelly. During the Q&A panel, they spoke about the importance of racial representation in television, as well as authentic portrayals of motherhood in the media.
Kelly said that for a lot of her career, she had to “find a way or make a way” to tell Black stories in television and advocate for herself as a writer.
“It’s what I’m teaching my son, it’s what I hope all of you as creators take with you. If somebody is not going to give it to you, if they’re telling you you’re not enough, it’s not good, that’s okay. On to the next one until you get your yes,” said Kelly.
She described working as an assistant for Chris Mundy, the showrunner for Lanterns, back when he was working on the Netflix series, Ozark. Now, ten years later, she is a lead writer for the number one series on HBO Max.
Photo Courtesy: The Lounge Booth
“I knew I was going to have to kind of break into those spaces, regardless of what my resume said, because they weren’t going to take me seriously unless I started there,” said Kelly.
In a similar way, Jones began her career acting in small independent films before landing her breakthrough dual role as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the 2015 Broadway musical, Hamilton.
“I think everybody on this stage has had a moment, or two, or three, or four, or five where they have not felt seen, or not heard, or have been overqualified for something and still not have been seen as an equal,” said Jones.
Photo Courtesy: @GiannaSnapped
She described an instance where her father, late SAG Award-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones, asked his white colleague to hail him a cab in New York City because he knew a cab would not stop for him due to the color of his skin.
“Even though he just did Richard III, he can’t get a cab because a cab won’t stop for him because he is a Black man,” said Jones.
During the panel, all three speakers emphasized the importance of voices of color not only starring in major projects, but also writing them as well.
“The first time I read Episode 3, I said, ‘Oh this was written by a Black woman.’ ‘This was written by someone who knows me, and knows this character very well and knows this person.’ So to be able to step into those shoes has been great, and I can’t wait for people to see this origin story and to see what we’ve been able to bring to it,” said Nicholson in an interview with The Knockturnal before the panel.
Towards the end of the Q&A, Nicholson took a moment to acknowledge the work of his two colleagues.
“I just want to say thank you, Vanessa, for being so talented and allowing the universe to flow through you. These two women, women that look like her, they run the world, believe it or not,” said Nicholson.
After the Q&A, fans flocked into the Green Lantern-themed afterparty. Photographers took pictures of attendees on the green carpet, and there were plenty of complimentary cocktails to go around. Jones and Nicholson spoke to members of the crowd and connected with friends before leaving for the evening.
Lanterns Episode 3 is now available to stream on HBO Max.
