Marvel actress Dominique Thorne and Chadwick Boseman shared a screen test for the first Black Panther. New footage revealed that the young star auditioned to be Shuri in Ryan Coogler’s MCU debut. The performance made a lot of people happy to see, especially as Thorne appears as Ironheart in the sequel Wakanda Forever, which just dropped last year. Shuri has become an iconic role in the MCU filled by Letitia Wright. However, the decision was very up in the air leading up the movie’s release.
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“The biggest thing I learned from Queen Ramonda herself, Miss Angela Bassett… to take your time,” Thorne said. “My very first day on set was the scene that she and I have in the throne room, with me entering the throne room for the first time. What a day one! And I think, I was immediately sort of, of course there’s so many things that were going through my head. Just about not only the film and marveling at all of these things. But, about the scale of the set, the scale of the movie, the blue screens, all these things. And, the moment that they said action and we started the scene, it was just like such an immediate zap back to life. Back to the present moment where she was so connected and so locked in and so in it. She was now Queen Ramonda.”
“That, it was just like the deepest breath of fresh air for me to just be with someone who is like: ‘Yes, and now let’s do what we have been brought here to do.’ Like, yes, everyone has been running around doing their jobs. Now, it’s time for us to do ours. Let’s drop in and let’s go,” the Ironheart star added. “And, of course, she didn’t say anything extra, nothing more than what was written on the page. But, with that I feel like got everything I needed to know because of how focused and locked in she was. Those are my favorite type of actors. You know? That was definitely the lesson. For me, it was stay focused on the craft.”
What’s Ahead For Ironheart?
Variety talked to the Ironheart star on the red carpet for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. During their chat, Thorne explained how honored she was to be a part of the legacy of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Riri Williams is already on her way to being a fan-favorite. Things should get even more interesting this summer on Disney+.
“[Having Black Panther: Wakanda Forever lead into Ironheart] is pure joy,” Thorne explained to the outlet while walking into the premiere. “It’s pure, unfiltered excitement and readiness to really carry that momentum and carry the mantle. To pass it off and add to the greatness that Wakanda Forever has done such an exceptional job of laying the foundation for and building upon it. Now the only thing left to do is run with it.”
Would you have liked to see her as Shuri? Let us know down in the comments!