Ironheart’s ‘Dominique Thorne’ On Representing Black Women

Marvel‘s newest leading lady, Dominique Thorne, also known as “Riri Williams” in “Ironheart,” has revealed what it’s like being a Black woman in the live-action series.

“It’s beautiful. It feels like a beautiful opportunity [being in] a beautiful space that hasn’t been fully carved out yet.” Thorne, 27, told MadameNoire. “Makes you wanna keep your head up and do a good job.”

Marvel Just Got Blacker And Gayer

THE IMPACT

Thorne is one of the few Black women portraying iconic characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Teyonah Parris, who played Monica Rambeau in “Captain Marvel”; Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple in “Daredevil”; Letitia Wright as “Shuri“; Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia; and Danai Gurira as “Okoye” in “Black Panther.”

“The Black women [who] have stepped into this space have done a fabulous job of setting the tone of all we have to look forward to and to get the opportunity to take a step further,” Thorne gushed.

In 2022, Thorne made her debut as Riri Williams in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Williams is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) student and a genius inventor who creates her suit of advanced armor. The Chicago inventor combats crime and embraces humanitarianism as the superhero known as Ironheart.

The actress admits to being shocked at being cast, but once on set, she was impressed to see that the team—both on and off camera—was made up of people of color, specifically women.

“Once I got involved in the project and learned the head writer, both of our directors, and executive producers were filling the world with Black women and black women from Chicago, not only in front of the camera but behind it as well. Then I was actually super impressed to see that they were paying attention and really wanting to do a good job with this,” she said.

IRONHEART

Set after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Marvel Television’s Ironheart follows Riri Williams as she returns to her hometown of Chicago, determined to leave her mark on the world. Inspired by the legacy of Tony Stark, Williams constructs her own high-tech suit of armor, stepping into a world where technology and magic collide.

As a brilliant young Black woman in a male-dominated field, Williams must navigate both internal struggles and external threats—especially when she becomes entangled with the dangerous yet charming Parker Robbins, also known as “The Hood,” played by Anthony Ramos.

As tensions mount, she’s forced to embrace the responsibilities of a superhero. With the legacy of Iron Man looming, Williams must decide whether she’s truly ready to rise as Ironheart.

Thorne is very appreciative of how much she has learned about herself from her role as Riri Williams.

“Riri has definitely taught me to embrace who I am,” Thorne said. “To stand within who I am. Don’t be shy about it; don’t be ashamed about it.”

While Williams’ superpower is being a genius, Thorne considers her ultimate power to be her empathy for others and her ability to listen.

“I take pride in really listening to people when they speak. It’s something I’ve come to enjoy, and I think that’s the best way to get to know someone.”

WHERE TO WATCH

The highly anticipated summer television series is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 24 with six episodes.

“I’m looking forward to the candid reactions for the people who know this show is for them, for the people who have been waiting for a series like this to come out [and] for the people who always hoped they might do a live-action [version of Riri Williams],” Thorne gleefully shared. “I can’t wait to see and hear how people feel when it’s out in the world for them to enjoy.”

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Ironheart’s ‘Dominique Thorne’ On Representing Black Women