Poorna Jagannathan, the scene-stealing queen of Never Have I Ever, is officially trading suburban mom vibes for superhero swagger. The 51-year-old actress is stepping into the DC Universe, marking her comic book debut in the upcoming HBO series Lanterns! Somebody cue the dramatic space music. 🚀
Poorna spilled the tea herself on Instagram, captioning her announcement with all the sass and emojis we aspire to: “At least one aunty is heading to DC 💅 💚 ✌️ @dcofficial #DCcomics #Lanterns @hbo.” Move over, superheroes—there’s a new boss in the galaxy, and she probably makes better chai than you.
Who’s Poorna Playing?
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Poorna will portray Zoe, a character described as “effortlessly confident and poised.” Translation: She’s the type of woman who can shut down a room with one look and then casually conquer a galaxy during her lunch break. Oh, and she’s “composed and cunning,” too—because what’s a DC character without a little scheming on the side? Rumor has it Zoe might even be a love interest for John Stewart, aka Green Lantern #ExtraSuave. Cue the intergalactic romance montage.
Who Else is in This Space Saga?
Joining Poorna in this glow-in-the-dark adventure are Aaron Pierre (John Stewart) and Kyle Chandler (Hal Jordan), because every space cop needs a brooding partner. The cast also boasts Kelly Macdonald and Garret Dillahunt, proving this is no amateur hour.
So What’s Lanterns About?
Think True Detective, but swap Louisiana swamps for, you know, the entire cosmos. The series follows newbie Green Lantern John Stewart and veteran Hal Jordan as they tackle an earth-bound murder mystery. Because apparently, even in space, you can’t escape crime in the Midwest.
James Gunn, DCU’s resident idea factory, calls Lanterns “a big premiere HBO television series,” which is Hollywood-speak for “we’re spending Marvel-level money on this, so it better slap.” And yes, there will be “a few other lanterns” making appearances. Who? We don’t know, but probably someone glowing and angsty.
Poorna Jagannathan is about to light up your screen, quite literally. Aunties in space? Love triangles among stars? Murder mysteries in Nebraska? The DC Universe is officially unhinged, and we’re here for every glowing second.