Drag queen Shea Couleé is best known for her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race, where she was a finalist in Season Nine and winner of All Stars 5, but earlier this month it was announced that Couleé was cast in the Marvel Studios Ironheart series. Information about the series continues to be limited, but we do know it is currently slated to air in the fall of 2023 and that Dominique Thorne will play RiRi Williams. Williams is the successor of Iron Man in Marvel comics and given Tony Stark’s death in Avenger’s Endgame, it’s no surprise a live-action version of Ironheart is on its way.
While who Couleé will be playing is still not publicly known, Couleé herself has been very public about her experience working with Marvel.
In an interview with E! News, Couleé states, “It’s really so humbling to be able to crossover into a much more mainstream avenue, and push the needle forward as far as drag is concerned, in the way that it’s consumed and in pop culture. I’m so deeply excited for everyone to see what this role is, what it entails and everything it is.”
She adds, “Everyone at Marvel has been so unbelievably open and receptive to my experiences and my expertise about drag. And they’ve allowed me to really come into the MCU and put my very specific Shea Couleé print on the Marvel Universe.”
Marvel Studios has had a very inconsistent relationship with queer fans throughout the history of the MCU. Most of the representation from the studio has been minimal at best, with several moments having landed on the cutting room floor. Hopefully, Couleé’s casting and experience signal a change coming for queer creatives and fans of Marvel. While it’s still a way out, keep Ironheart on your radar.
Photos courtesy of Shea Coulee’s Instagram
