Following her breakout performance in the blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Dominique Thorne is recognized across the globe. Now she’s suiting up to reprise her role in Marvel’s Ironheart, premiering June 24 on Disney+. Thorne and costar Anthony Ramos talk to emmy about their respective journeys to the Marvel universe. The award-winning official publication of the Television Academy is on sale now.
The Ironheart character debuted in Marvel’s Invincible Iron Man #7 in 2015. Recalling her affinity for the source material in the emmy cover story, “Super Fly,” Thorne says, “I remember being at Cornell and seeing that iconic artwork come across my screen for the first time. It was super cool. She has this red shirt and big ’fro with a helmet under her arm. Just to see her referenced with that Iron Man suit was crazy because Iron Man is where all those [MCU movies] began.”
After graduating with a social sciences degree, Thorne moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. She auditioned to play Shuri in Black Panther, but when the world shut down during the pandemic, her dream stalled. “I was privileged to use that time as a mode of self-reflection to try and figure it all out,” the actress recalls. She made a vision board complete with articles from Variety that mentioned the MCU and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler. Just a week later, she received a call from producer Nate Moore. Marvel executives wanted to create a series just for her. “He told me that they were looking to tell Riri’s story in a TV show and pitched me Ironheart.”
In the series, Thorne reprises her role as Riri Williams, an MIT student with incredible superpowers derived from a suit she created in her garage. “Riri is a genius inventor like [Iron Man’s] Tony Stark, but she’s no billionaire and has none of the same access to power,” says executive producer and writer Chinaka Hodge. “She’s important because she represents an unflinching, unforgettable, woman-forward future.”
Ramos, who costars as the mysterious Parker Robbins, had a similar path to success. His success onstage playing dual roles in Hamilton (John Laurens and Philip Hamilton) led to roles in the films A Star Is Born, In the Heights and Twisters. “This is a big deal for me because a whole new audience is going to see me, and it’s exciting to tap into that,” Ramos says. The longtime Marvel fan still, well, marvels at his good fortune: “The chances of this coming around are so slim. It’s great to get any role; but for this one, I’m hyped.”
Ramos is eager for fans to see his sinister side in Ironheart. “I feel like I’m in my villain era,” he says. “I like it because one of my favorite things is to find the good in characters who are perceived as bad.”
On the cusp of Ironheart’s long-anticipated premiere, Thorne and Ramos share their admiration for each other. “When someone like Anthony has your back, it definitely helps,” she says. “I knew I was in a safe and supported space. Anyone who doesn’t absolutely love him is not human. Ramos expresses a similar sentiment: “I mean, I love Dom. She’s so dope, so smart. We’d finish days on the set, and I’d be like, ‘Yo, you killed it today!’ I’m really excited for people to see her in this role.”
These days, Thorne can’t escape the popularity of her first big role. While traveling in a remote area of Cambodia a few years ago, a local guide exclaimed, “Oh my God, I know her!” Then he proceeded to cross his arms in front of his chest to signal “Wakanda Forever” and said, “It’s Riri!”
Additional feature highlights from the new issue include:
HBO’s Dune: Prophecy uses striking sets, innovative makeup and prosthetics, and stunning visual effects to create a vivid futuristic world. In “Future Perfect,” production designer Tom Meyer, hair and makeup designer Kate Benton, and VFX veterans Michael Enriquez and Terron Pratt reveal how they brought the sci-fi adventure series to life.
A captivating display of glamour, emotion and controlled chaos, the Real Housewives reunions are always highly anticipated and dramatic season-ending spectacles. In “Classy Reunion,” emmy talks to the seasoned pros at Bravo, including executive producer and consummate host Andy Cohen, about what it’s like behind the scenes.
In “Convenience Score,” emmy talks to the creative minds behind Hulu’s Deli Boys. This spring’s hit comedy, about two brothers who inherit their family’s convenience store in Philadelphia, is a fresh take on the immigrant experience.
Download the press release here.
For issue/coverage contacts:
Stephanie Goodell
stephanie@breakwhitelight.com
818.462.1150
breakwhitelight for the Television Academy
