Exclusive: Dominique Thorne Briefly Talks Disney+ & Marvel’s ‘Ironheart’

Last December during Disney Investor Day presentation, president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige revealed that newcomer Dominique Thorne had been cast in the role of Riri Williams for Disney+ series Ironheart. A recent grad from Cornell University, Thorne made her film debut in Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk and will next be seen in producer Ryan Coogler’s upcoming Judas and the Black Messiah.

Created by Brian Michael Bendis and designed by Mike Deodato, the character of Ironheart first appeared in Invincible Iron Man issue No. 7 in a cameo appearance before making her full debut in issue No. 9 as a 15-year-old engineering student who lives with her mother and paternal aunt in Chicago following the death of her father before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a scholarship, as she is a certified genius.

Working alone, she designs a suit of armor similar to the Iron Man armor using material stolen from campus and begins fighting crime herself, but while trying to prevent the escape of two inmates from the New Mexico State Penitentiary, her suit is damaged and she must return home and continue working on the suit, much to the dismay of her aunt. Original Iron Man, Tony Stark, eventually hears of Williams’ accomplishment and sets off to meet her and, after getting to know her, elects to endorse her decision to become a superheroine.

There’s no date when the series will start production and air, but while promoting Judas and the Black Messiah, Thorne spoke exclusively to BlackFilmandTV.com and briefly commented on the Ironheart series.

I know you can't say much, but were you always a Marvel fan? And did you know about Ironheart?

Dominique Thorne: Absolutely. I think my mother might disown me if I didn't. It's very much a Marvel household. I did know about Ironheart before I was approached with the role. So it was an awe, inspiring moment to think that I would be chosen to portray this woman and to bring her to the screen in this way. So yeah.

Have you gone back to read the comic books. Marvel fans will expect you to know everything about the character.

Dominique Thorne: I would expect nothing less. I'm looking forward to really doing the deep dive. I've definitely run through as many of the comics as I can. I'm so ready to do more.

What goes into saying yes to the projects you want to do, or that come to you?

Dominique Thorne: For me, at this point, it's really about the story. That's what many of us who enter into this profession think. What draws you in is the the ability to tell stories that mean something to people. In high school, the motto was to empathize, to empower, or to educate and so that is what I still abide by today. So hopefully, I'm involved in a story that is doing that. There are real people with real stories and real emotions at the center of it. Even if it's not my experience or your experience, it allows somebody the opportunity to be changed; the opportunity to have their mind expanded or get educated in a new way. I think that's one of the most beautiful and powerful things that this form is capable of.