In writer-director Ryan Coogler’s sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the MCU introduces a number of new faces - a nation of new faces, in fact - to the big screen, and also a character who’s bound to be a force in the franchise moving forward, Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart. The sequel sees Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) and the people of Wakanda reeling in the aftermath of King T’Challa’s (played by the late Chadwick Boseman) passing. On top of their mourning, outside powers seek to obtain Wakanda’s rare Vibranium resources, and the previously-unknown nation of Talocan is feeling the repercussions, as well. Prompted by the threat of war, Shuri and General Okoye (Danai Gurira) are tasked with apprehending Riri, the young scientist inadvertently responsible for the trespassing of Talocan.

During her interview with Collider’s own Perri Nemiroff, Thorne shares what she felt was important to bring to the character of Riri Williams, while still honoring the material written by Coogler and Ironheart comics author Eve Ewing. She also discusses what she learned from the cast and crew of Wakanda Forever about being an advocate for her character, and what fans can expect from the upcoming Ironheart series. You can watch our conversation with Thorne in the video at the top of this article or read the full transcript below. And for more on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, check out Collider’s review by Ross Bonaime.

COLLIDER: A little bit of a big question to start. I've grown obsessed with this idea someone shared with me recently about the importance of having your own personal secret about a role before taking on a new character. So even with a great screenplay and great source material, what’s something specific to you and your take on Riri that was really important for you to bring to screen here?

DOMINIQUE THORNE: I love that question. I've also heard that viewpoint about how folks enter into their roles. I think for me, I don't know if it's a bit of a secret, but I think talking about it this go-round has definitely been the first time I've really shared it, is that it was important for me that Riri Williams, who we all know is a super genius, and who we all know does this incredible build by making her Ironheart suit, it was important for me that she was outside of what folks might expect when they think about what a “genius” looks like, or what someone who goes to MIT sounds, or just how they carry themselves in that space. Thankfully, it was a choice and a hope supported by the words that Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole had down on paper and also, of course, the character that Eve Ewing had established. I’m very glad that I was given a character that could support that hope of mine, but also in me figuring out how I embody Riri is wanting to figure out how I could play around in different moments, and maybe do something differently than whatever my first thought might be.

I wanted to look ahead a little bit to the Ironheart series given what she goes through, and what you go through in this movie. For you as an actor, is there anything that you saw a Wakanda Forever co-star do on the set of this film that made you stop and say, ‘When I'm number one on the call sheet, I want to be able to do that for my set?’

THORNE: The sort of advocacy for their characters that I got to see folks do on Wakanda Forever in the rehearsals, and the conversation, and the discussion about what someone might say, how they might react, how they might respond. It was definitely a bit of a MasterClass, I think, being in some of those rehearsal rooms, and also a great gift that the directors I've worked with, fortunately, have offered by being open to hearing what our input could be on a character as they trust that we as the actors are showing up to do our job and to take the time to know these characters quite well. So definitely when I got over to Ironheart, it was reinforced in me that I am Riri’s number one advocate, and to make sure that no matter what the circumstance, no matter what changes in the day, scripts, and anything going on, that Riri had a representative at all times.

So now for Riri specifically as a character, because Wakanda Forever really well highlights how everyone is influenced by those around them, and how everybody winds up living on through each other. Based on what she experiences in Wakanda Forever, is there any particular thing in terms of how Riri was shaped during this film that we're gonna see you dig into a little more in the Ironheart series?

THORNE: I think that one of the beautiful things about Riri is that when we meet her, both in the comics and on-screen, we're meeting someone in the middle of their day-to-day. We're sort of getting to peek in at someone's life in the middle of it. We haven't really gotten the origin story that we might expect when we hear that a new hero is being introduced. Rather, it feels more like a day in the life of this 19-year-old college student, who also happened to do something crazy in her spare time and now she has to deal with it. I think that when we get to dive into her world in Ironheart, we're also getting the opportunity to explore who Riri is when the stakes are not quite as exaggerated, but also to see what adventures she might get into when, or if, she does have to sort of reflect or contend with the ambitions of hers that got her into that situation in the first place, you know? I don't think it's until this moment in Wakanda Forever that we think about, “Why now? Like, why on this day are we seeing Riri?” Well, on this day, she realizes the potential that her brilliance has.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now. Check out Collider's interview with Coogler below: