Dominique Thorne on why she was ‘excited for the challenge’ of starring in ‘Ironheart’

Clearly there is some synergy here: Dominique Thorne is a genius playing a genius.

The actress is suited up, once again, as Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, a character we first met in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” That character is important in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: She’s a young, super smart star at a top tier university (M.I.T) who is giving Black girls everywhere someone amazing to look up to.

In real life, Thorne is similar to her character — a young superstar actress who is a graduate of an Ivy League university (Cornell University) who is inspiring Black girls everywhere.

Thorne is extremely humble about her own journey, which began in high school, where she attended the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City. While in high school, Thorne was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts and won the Young Arts award in 2015. Film fans first took notice of Thorne in “If Beale Street Could Talk” and later in “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Now, she’s one of Hollywood’s most exciting new talents.

In “Ironheart,” RiRi Williams heads back to her native Chicago in the aftermath of all the things we saw pop off in “Wakanda Forever.” And this series is especially essential because it’s the last of the Disney+ shows to complete Phase 5 of the MCU. If you’re a Marvel fan, you know that means this show drops the last of the delicious easter eggs we get before we see how it all plays out on the big screen.

And “Ironheart“ didn’t disappoint. While some tried to “review bomb” the show because they were upset a Black woman was fronting the series, the word from critics is overwhelmingly favorable. In “Ironheart,” Thorne is giving exactly what we need, a new character to get behind and a new actress to keep our focus on.

Recently, we caught up with Thorne to chat about her rise in Hollywood, playing Ironheart, working with Ryan Coogler, and what’s next for her.