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Shakira Barrera is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Nicaraguan-American actress is joining “Ironheart,” a six episode series that will premiere in Disney+.
“Ironheart” stars Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a genius inventor who creates her own suit of armor, à la Iron Man. In the comic books, Williams is trained by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a change that will be interesting to see onscreen. Her character will be introduced in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” set to premiere later this year.
“Ironheart’s” cast is rounded out by Anthony Ramos, Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Shea Couleé, and Zoe Terakes, and will be directed Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes. The head writer is Chinaka Hodge, who’s previously worked in series like “Snowpiercer” and “Amazing Stories.” The series is expected to premiere at some point in 2023 and is a part of Marvel’s upcoming slate of TV shows, which include “Secret Invasion,” starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn, a Halloween Special and a Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special.
Barrera has been acting for some years now, with her previous credits including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Queen of the South,” and “Shameless.” Her most notorious role was in “GLOW,” where she played Yolanda, a lesbian stripper who had one of the series’ most beloved relationships. She’s currently starring in “Sprung,” a comedy series that premiered in August.