Dominique Thorne Talks ‘Ironheart,’ Riri’s Return to Chicago & Anthony Ramos | EURexclusiveWATCH
*Following her high-impact debut in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Dominique Thorne returns as “Riri Williams” in Marvel Television’s upcoming Disney+ series Ironheart — and this time, she’s not just building suits. She’s rebuilding herself.
The series picks up after the events in Wakanda, bringing Riri back home to Chicago. But it’s far from a quiet return. In Ironheart, the young MIT prodigy finds herself caught between cutting-edge tech and unpredictable magic, especially after crossing paths with Parker Robbins, aka The Hood, played by Anthony Ramos.
In an exclusive conversation with EUR, Thorne offered a look at how Ironheart brings Riri’s internal world to the forefront.
“Riri is very much a young person. And I think in her journey, this might be the first time she’s realizing she actually needs to sit with all that she is and all that’s happened to her,” Thorne explained. “She’s had so much experience — and being on the backside of something as epic as Wakanda, she’s now faced with that question a lot of us face: ‘Who am I gonna be now?’”
This six-episode series, helmed by head writer Chinaka Hodge and directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes, promises to blend Marvel’s signature action with a story deeply rooted in family, identity, and Chicago — something Thorne says the creative team was deeply intentional about.
“There’s a different way you speak when you’re with your family versus your classmates at MIT. A different way you walk, even when you feel the comfort and familiarity of home,” she shared. “Who are you when you’re not in your lab or making money off your inventions, but instead, back with your mom? Who is that version of Riri?”
It’s this contrast between genius inventor and grounded daughter that Ironheart leans into. But fans can still expect those Marvel-level moments. Thorne made it clear she wanted Riri in the mix for the action too.
“Pretty early on, I made the request to have Riri really be a part of the stunts — in the suit and without. I was always curious about how we could balance that with her humanity,” she said.
“She’s just a young girl, so I’m excited to see how people respond to that duality,” Thorne added.
Adding to that duality is the arrival of magic into Riri’s science-heavy world, via Anthony Ramos’ portrayal of The Hood — a character Thorne calls “a fun challenge.”
“Anthony gives you so much to work with,” she said. “It always felt like there was room to play and try new things. And honestly, that’s what Riri’s doing too — trying to suss out who this man is and whether what he’s saying even matters to her.”
With powerhouse producers like Ryan Coogler, Kevin Feige, Chinaka Hodge, and Zinzi Coogler behind the scenes, Ironheart is shaping up to be one of Marvel’s most culturally grounded and emotionally complex entries yet.
The series also features: Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam, and Anji White. Ironheart premieres June 24 exclusively on Disney+.
Jill Munroe is a Los Angeles-bred entertainment journalist, producer, and host. Follow her socials @StilettoJill or visit JillMunroe.com. Catch her live M-F on KBLA Talk 1580 from 6PM to 7PM.
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