The Marvel Cinematic Universe is expanding more and more with its slate of streaming TV shows coming to Disney+, as well as the theatrical films, and now there's some good news for one upcoming series. Ironheart has cast another character, and she'll be played by an actress who will be a familiar face to fans of NBC's This Is Us: Lyric Ross.
The actress has joined Ironheart to play the best friend of main character Riri Williams, according to THR. With the new show expected to begin filming in Atlanta (where other Marvel TV shows like Loki filmed as well as many MCU films) in June, Lyric Ross could begin her work on Ironheart shortly after the This Is Us series finale airs on NBC in late May. No details have been reported about Ross' character other than that she will play Riri Williams' best friend.
Lyric Ross is best known for her role as Deja on This Is Us, starting with early Season 2 back in 2017. With This Is Us wrapping its hugely successful run in just a few months, Ross is evidently wasting no time in joining another TV show that's bound to become a hit thanks to holding a place in the MCU.
She joins a cast comprised of Dominique Thorne playing Riri Williams and In the Heights alum Anthony Ramos, whose mystery character may be a villain with a role that expands beyond the Ironheart series. Although Ironheart isn't the upcoming MCU TV show closest to premiering (with Oscar Isaac's brutal Moon Knight getting that honor), another casting reveal that expands on the things we know for Ironheart is a good sign for Riri Williams' series moving forward.
Riri Williams is a genius inventor who creates an advanced suit of armor. If that sounds familiar for MCU fans still missing Tony Stark, that would be because her suit will be the most advanced since Iron Man himself. Although she didn't build hers in a cave with a box of scraps, she did create hers in an MIT dorm as a teenage inventor, which is arguably almost as impressive.
Riri is a relatively new addition to Marvel Comics, making her debut just back in 2016 as part of the Invincible Iron Man run, and has been known to take over as Iron Man at points in the comics. With the MCU currently lacking an Iron Man, Ironheart could be just what fans need by the time it is ready for release. As for how her best friend fits into the equation... well, hopefully Lyric Ross' character doesn't find herself in the crosshairs whenever Riri inevitably draws the wrong kind of attention!
There is no premiere date for Ironheart at this point, and one likely won't come for quite a while. Our list of upcoming Marvel TV shows can fill you in on more MCU series on the way, however, and Moon Knight will debut on Disney+ on March 30. For some more viewing options in the coming weeks, check out our 2022 TV schedule, and find plenty of existing MCU action with a Disney+ subscription.
