The Boys Return to Call of Duty Mobile: Starlight, Homelander and Black Noir with Erin Moriarty

I still remember grinding ranked matches in Call of Duty: Mobile when The Boys crossover first hit, so hearing that Black Noir, Homelander, and Starlight are back on mobile felt like a long overdue win. As someone who has sunk more hours into CoD Mobile than I care to admit, I was buzzing to sit down with Erin Moriarty, the actor behind Starlight, to talk about how this wild collaboration came back to life.

Face scans and living in Annie’s shoes

Erin was refreshingly honest about how strange it felt to jump from live-action acting into a video game. She told me the process started with a face scan so the developers could match her likeness, followed by recording voice lines. That way, when players run around as Starlight, it genuinely feels like her. She didn’t do all the physical motion capture work some actors do, but for her, the whole thing was still special.

“Any time I ever get to play Starlight or Annie in any capacity beyond the show just allows me to live in her shoes for a little bit longer,” she said. Even though her original Call of Duty lines were recorded years ago, hearing them repurposed for mobile gave her another chance to revisit a character she clearly adores.

The set was full of secret CoD fans

Given that The Boys spends so much time skewering superhero pop culture, I wondered whether the cast ever joked about video games beyond that cheeky VoughtStation 5 cameo. Erin admitted it was funny: the writers didn’t really lean into gaming satire because it didn’t feel like the most obvious target. Still, the cast themselves were massive gaming fans, and games became one of their bonding points off camera.

That said, during breaks on set, the cast mostly played Backgammon rather than anything on a screen. The irony isn’t lost on me. She said plenty of her co-workers would head home after long shoot days and dive into Call of Duty as a way to escape. In her words, the intensity of games like CoD is a testament to how well made they are. She reckoned that if any of them had played CoD between takes, they would have shown up to scenes completely revved up.

A novice’s path into Call of Duty

Despite being part of a major shooter crossover, Erin described herself as a total novice. She’s still learning the lingo and the concepts behind Call of Duty, which made the mobile version especially appealing. For her, CoD Mobile felt accessible, not necessarily easier, but simply something you can pick up on your phone without feeling overwhelmed.

That resonates with me, honestly. Mobile shooters have a lower barrier to entry, but they can still be sweaty enough to keep veterans engaged. The fact that she saw CoD Mobile as a welcoming entry point makes a lot of sense.

Why Starlight completes the trifecta

When The Boys collab returned, it made perfect sense to include Starlight alongside Homelander and Black Noir. Erin called it a great trifecta because the three characters create a strong contrast. Homelander and Black Noir represent the typical villains of The Boys, while Starlight is the moral compass. But don’t get it twisted: she can still kick some serious ass.

What I found really cool is how the campaign leaned into Starlight’s kindness as a weapon. In a game full of trash talk and aggressive plays, the idea of “killing them with kindness” feels almost subversive. Erin loved that the developers stayed true to her character and kept that disarming compassion intact.

Starlight’s in-universe battle plan

I asked Erin how Starlight would actually react to being dropped into such a violent shooter. Her answer was classic Annie January. Starlight wouldn’t arbitrarily take people down, but if the mission was about making the world a better place, she would do whatever it took. If she had to enter battle to take down Homelander or complete some larger objective, she would lock in and give it her all.

By contrast, Erin thinks Homelander and Black Noir would be far more arbitrary in battle, just taking down whoever stands in front of them. Starlight would be tactical. It’s all about the endgame for her, and that’s exactly why she works so well as a playable operator in this event.

Designing Starlight for mobile

Interestingly, Erin wasn’t asked for direct input on Starlight’s look or weaponry. Instead, the team did their homework. They studied Starlight’s persona and used things Erin had said in press to shape how the character appeared in CoD Mobile and the promotional campaign. That personal touch made it feel more authentic than a simple skin drop.

There are parallels between Erin and Starlight, though Erin joked that Starlight is far more moral than she is. One thing they agree on, however, is that kindness and hope are the greatest personal currency anyone can hold. That idea became central to how Starlight was presented in the collab.

Will we see Annie again?

With The Boys universe expanding through projects like Vought Rising, I had to ask whether Starlight might return. Erin said she would always welcome another chance to step into Annie’s shoes, especially since the show ended with Starlight pregnant. She’s desperate to meet Annie as a mother and find out what that means for her.

She hasn’t been approached yet, but she remains hopeful. Crossovers similar to Gen V seem to keep happening, and she’s privately hoping they choose her. After hearing how much she loves the character, I can’t blame her.

If Starlight were a gamer

For a fun closing question, I asked what Starlight might play if she were a gamer. Erin admitted she’s biased because Call of Duty is the only franchise she’s ever played or worked with. But she thinks Starlight might use CoD as a little catharsis, a way to get her anger out without taking it out on anyone in real life.

It’s a fitting answer. Starlight isn’t the type to start random fights, but in a game, she might finally let loose. That blend of in-universe logic and real gamer energy is exactly why this crossover works so well. If you’re like me and always on the hunt for more mobile FPS action, The Boys event is a no-brainer.