{"id":53459,"date":"2025-06-10T16:39:41","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T20:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?p=53459"},"modified":"2025-07-16T10:18:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T14:18:31","slug":"thorne-ironheart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/thorne-ironheart\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Disney+ Series \u2018Ironheart,\u2019 Alum Stars as Marvel\u2019s Latest Hero"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\">Dominique Thorne \u201919 takes the lead as the genius inventor of a super suit\u2014a role she debuted in <em>Wakanda Forever<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By <strong>Beth Saulnier<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Dominique Thorne \u201919 was still an undergrad when she appeared in her first feature film, the 2018 drama <em>If Beale Street Could Talk<\/em>. Now, the actor is headlining the latest Marvel TV series\u2014as the title character in \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/ondisneyplus.disney.com\/show\/ironheart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ironheart<\/a>,\u201d about a brilliant young engineer who\u2019s in many ways the spiritual heir to Ironman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Debuting in late June 2025 on the Disney+ streaming service, \u201cIronheart\u201d picks up its protagonist\u2019s journey after her adventures in the film<em> Black Panther: Wakanda Forever<\/em>, in which <a href=\"https:\/\/marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com\/wiki\/Ironheart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Thorne\u2019s character<\/a> debuted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In that blockbuster movie, which grossed nearly $860 million worldwide, the Human Ecology alum plays MIT student Riri Williams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"692\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-692x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The poster of &quot;Ironheart&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-53469 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-692x1024.jpg 692w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-768x1137.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-1038x1536.jpg 1038w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-534x790.jpg 534w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-267x395.jpg 267w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-338x500.jpg 338w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-169x250.jpg 169w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A-84x125.jpg 84w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Ironheart_507B_1SheetBusShelter_Teaser_Red_FIN03_Mech7b-A.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 692px) 100vw, 692px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The character comes to the attention of Wakandan leaders after she invents a device that can detect vibranium, the ultra-rare and super-strong metal traditionally found only in the resource-rich African kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a rocky start with the film\u2019s heroes, Riri ultimately joins their cause, using her skills and brainpower to help defend Wakanda against invaders\u2014including by creating a potent battle suit akin to that of the late Tony Stark, a.k.a. Ironman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(A July 2025 video chat between Thorne and Ironman himself\u2014actor Robert Downey Jr.\u2014<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5HNUzpdY-1A\">can be found here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">A Cornellian Gets Heroic: Scenes from &#8216;Ironheart&#8217;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-1024x429.jpg\" alt=\"Ironheart flies over water\" class=\"wp-image-53465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-1024x429.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-300x126.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-768x322.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-1536x643.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-1264x529.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-632x265.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-316x132.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-400x168.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-200x84.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A-100x42.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ACH1380_101_comp_ilm_v0011.1110_R-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-1024x427.jpg\" alt=\"Riri Williams\/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Television's IRONHEART\" class=\"wp-image-53464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-1024x427.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-300x125.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-768x320.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-1536x640.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-1264x527.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-632x263.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-316x132.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-400x167.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-200x83.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A-100x42.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_B051C012_2207180W_r709.00002995-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-1024x429.jpg\" alt=\"Ironheart\/Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Television's IRONHEART.\" class=\"wp-image-53466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-1024x429.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-300x126.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-768x322.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-1536x643.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-1264x529.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-632x265.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-316x132.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-400x168.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-200x84.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A-100x42.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/EWC3810_105_comp_BSE_v0020.1032_R-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-1024x427.jpg\" alt=\"Riri Williams\/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) holds up a mask in Marvel Television's IRONHEART\" class=\"wp-image-53463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-1024x427.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-300x125.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-768x320.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-1536x640.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-1264x527.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-632x263.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-316x132.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-400x167.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-200x83.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A-100x42.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/101_A062C007_190307YX_02_r709.00088186_R-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI love the fact that she is just fully herself,&#8221; Thorne told <em>Entertainment Weekly<\/em> at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s definitely not the typical or traditional superhero. She\u2019s very much Riri Williams the 19-year-old student first, and then there\u2019s this whole Ironheart business that she has to figure out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as the world watches Thorne\u2014whose <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm9584861\/?ref_=tt_cst_t_9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IMDb credits<\/a> also include the historical drama <em>Judas and the Black Messiah<\/em>, in which she played a member of the Black Panthers\u2014gain top billing in the Marvel Universe, some on the Hill can say they saw her onstage before she was a star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I love the fact that she is just fully herself. She\u2019s definitely not the typical or traditional superhero.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>While majoring in human development, Thorne still found time to perform\u2014including in a fall 2018 theater production of <a href=\"https:\/\/news.cornell.edu\/stories\/2018\/11\/youth-authority-figures-odds-awakening-spring\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>The Awakening of Spring<\/em><\/a> at the Schwartz Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the early-20th-century German play (more widely known for its musical adaptation, the Broadway hit <em>Spring Awakening<\/em>), Thorne had the lead role of Wendla, a sheltered 14-year-old whose first tastes of love and desire ultimately lead to tragedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Dominique Thorne in a Cornell stage production of &quot;The Awakening of Spring&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-53470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-608x342.jpg 608w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-304x171.jpg 304w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-152x85.jpg 152w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-1184x666.jpg 1184w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-592x333.jpg 592w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-296x166.jpg 296w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-1264x711.jpg 1264w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-632x356.jpg 632w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-316x178.jpg 316w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Thorne_in_Awakening_Spring_Nov_2018_Thomas_Hoebbel_Photography-A.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"rkv-image-credit\">Thomas Hoebbel<\/figcaption><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Onstage at the Schwartz Center in playwright Frank Wedekind&#8217;s <em>The Awakening of Spring<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Her years of training\u2014performing arts high school and other performing experiences\u2014were immediately evident in the ease and expressive range that she brought to an emotionally demanding role,&#8221; recalls <a href=\"https:\/\/pma.cornell.edu\/david-m-feldshuh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">David Feldshuh<\/a>, the professor of performing and media arts who directed the show. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Dominique was a generous, friendly, and fun cast member who was always ready to try new ideas and improvise to explore complex moments. Her performance was exceptional\u2014authoritative and engaging.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignwide is-style-solid-color\"><blockquote><p>As the world watches Thorne gain top billing in the Marvel Universe, some on the Hill can say they saw her onstage before she was a star.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But back to the much-anticipated \u201cIronheart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Disney+, the six-episode show \u201cpits technology against magic\u201d: Riri returns to her native Chicago, continues working on her Ironheart tech, and is drawn to another superhero (dubbed the Hood), whose mystical headgear allows him to tap into the dark arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Riri says in the trailer: \u201cAfter my internship abroad\u201d\u2014a sly reference to her sojourn in Wakanda\u2014\u201cI want to build something undeniable. Something \u2026 <em>iconic<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>(All photos courtesy of Marvel, unless otherwise indicated.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Published June 10, 2025; updated July 16, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dominique Thorne \u201919 takes the lead as the genius inventor of a super suit\u2014a role she debuted in <em>Wakanda Forever<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":53468,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"alumni_hub_syml_posts":[28386,23878,2303],"footnotes":""},"categories":[229],"tags":[],"cornell_year_post":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-53459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>In the Disney+ Series \u2018Ironheart,\u2019 Alum Stars as Marvel\u2019s Latest Hero - Cornellians | Cornell University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dominique Thorne \u201919 takes the lead as the genius inventor of a super suit\u2014a role she debuted in &quot;Wakanda Forever&quot;\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/thorne-ironheart\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In the Disney+ Series \u2018Ironheart,\u2019 Alum Stars as Marvel\u2019s Latest Hero - Cornellians | Cornell University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dominique Thorne \u201919 takes the lead as the genius inventor of a super suit\u2014a role she debuted in &quot;Wakanda Forever&quot;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/thorne-ironheart\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cornellians | Cornell University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Cornellians\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-10T20:39:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-16T14:18:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/HERO-wide_pp_disneyplusoriginals_marvelstudios_ironheart_herobann_6b22798e-B.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Beth Saulnier\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@WeCornellians\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@WeCornellians\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Beth Saulnier\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/thorne-ironheart\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/thorne-ironheart\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Beth Saulnier\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/32fea64e8c64bb984ed5809675634100\"},\"headline\":\"In the Disney+ Series \u2018Ironheart,\u2019 Alum Stars as Marvel\u2019s Latest Hero\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-10T20:39:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-16T14:18:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/thorne-ironheart\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":623,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/thorne-ironheart\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/HERO-wide_pp_disneyplusoriginals_marvelstudios_ironheart_herobann_6b22798e-B.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Alumni\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/thorne-ironheart\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/thorne-ironheart\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/alumni.cornell.edu\\\/cornellians\\\/thorne-ironheart\\\/\",\"name\":\"In the Disney+ Series \u2018Ironheart,\u2019 Alum Stars as Marvel\u2019s Latest Hero - 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