Dominique Thorne talks about her character Riri Williams

Mumbai, June 27 (IANS) Actress Dominique Thorne, who has reprised the role of Riri Williams in the series Ironheart, said that she appreciates how Riri’s dialogue feels genuine and values that the characters truly reflect the lived identities of Black women from Chicago.

Marvel Studios' highly anticipated series, Ironheart, is now streaming exclusively on JioHotstar in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

The show marks a new beginning for Riri Williams, the tech prodigy first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Now, Thorne steps into the spotlight as the lead, tracing Riri’s journey beyond Wakanda and deep into the heart of her own story.

“What was interesting for me was how different Riri’s story and entrance into the MCU was in comparison to other characters. After bringing Riri to life in the world of Wakanda, we had an amazing opportunity to follow that up with a deep dive into the character that allows for the exploration of her origin story,” said Thorne.

She added: “We’re not necessarily going back in time; it’s more of catching up and seeing the effects of how those first pivotal moments of her life have shaped her and seeing the person that she’s trying to become.”

Set in the gritty, emotionally charged landscape of Chicago, Ironheart offers a grounded take on a fantastical universe, blending magic, machinery, and identity in unexpected ways.

“I think the first thing that I appreciated was that it felt real, or as real as a story that involves magic and flying suits can be. I appreciated that, on the page, the words that Riri was speaking felt like words that I would actually say.”

The actress said that she has often read scripts or stories where she can tell that the perspective that’s “most familiar to me or my peer group is not the perspective that is being accounted for in the telling of the story.”

“These characters feel like true Black women who are from Chicago, who are also intimately connected to their identity as women. That’s not something I took for granted,” she added.

“Ironheart” is streaming now, only on JioHotstar, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

--IANS

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