When The Boys wrapped its five-season run earlier this year, fans said goodbye to a series that had redefined the superhero genre on television. But before Erin Moriarty ever suited up as Starlight, she was part of another groundbreaking Marvel project—one that quietly rewrote the rules for the entire franchise.
Moriarty's early Marvel credit came in Jessica Jones, the Netflix series that ran from 2015 to 2019. She played Hope Shlottman, a young woman whose life is shattered by the mind-controlling villain Kilgrave. Hope's tragic arc—including sexual abuse, wrongful imprisonment, and a devastating suicide—was a stark departure from the colorful, family-friendly tone of the MCU at the time. It was a role that proved Marvel could tackle dark, taboo subjects with the same seriousness as any prestige drama.
During a recent panel at FAN EXPO Canada, moderated by Collider's Maggie Lovitt, Moriarty opened up about the lasting impact of playing Hope. "It's funny—when I play a role, I'm very present with it in the moment, but I don't watch it again after," she said. "It's been so long since I played Hope. That was such an interesting character for me, because Jessica Jones and The Boys are actually pretty similar in some ways. They're both very dark, and neither one is afraid to explore taboo subject matter."
Moriarty drew direct parallels between Hope and her The Boys character, Annie January (Starlight). Both women endure sexual violence, manipulation, and the trauma of being controlled by powerful men. "Hope Shlottman goes through a lot of the same things Annie does—consent, what she goes through with Kilgrave, sexual abuse, being incarcerated for things she did while being controlled," Moriarty explained. "And the way she dies is really traumatic. I remember leaving that role behind and just thinking how cool it was that I got to play something that dark and complex within the Marvel world, and how the Marvel world was clearly evolving if there was room for a character like that."
That evolution wasn't just a feeling. Jessica Jones was a turning point for Marvel's small-screen output, proving that the brand could embrace psychological depth and moral ambiguity. It opened the door for later shows like Daredevil and The Punisher, and even influenced the tone of some MCU films. Moriarty's performance as Hope was a key part of that shift, even if her character's story was tragically short.
Now, with The Boys behind her, Moriarty looks back on her superhero journey with fondness. "I haven't thought about her in a long time, honestly," she admitted, crediting her "physical relationship to acting" for allowing her to leave characters behind. "But when someone brings her up, it's special. It's cool, because she was just a human in a superhero show, and then a few years later I got to be a superhero in a superhero show. That was pretty cool too."
Moriarty's career has been anything but one-note. From indie dramas to blockbuster streaming hits, she's proven her range. And while The Boys may be over, the franchise is far from done—a new spin-off is on the way, and fans are eager to see what's next. For now, Moriarty's dual legacy in the superhero world stands as a testament to how far the genre has come.
If you haven't revisited Jessica Jones lately, it's worth a rewatch—especially to see the performance that helped change Marvel's formula. And for more on Moriarty's future projects, stay tuned to Collider.
