By Cherisse Moe, HER Magazine
Dominique Thorne isn’t your average Hollywood starlet. Sure, she’s got the red carpet glam and the blockbuster roles, but this American-Trinidadian actress is carving her own path.
From her impressive role as Riri Williams/Ironheart in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, alongside Tobago’s Winston Duke, who played the beloved Lord M’Baku, to gearing up for her solo series on Disney+, which she secured without additional auditions – we have to put some respect on her name.
“It’s the first time I’m doing television,” she revealed during a candid one-on-one interview with Her at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, on Thursday. “It’s a deep dive into this intriguing character we glimpsed in Wakanda. While that film focused on supporting characters, Ironheart allows me to set the tone for this new space as the lead. It’s a great challenge and I love a challenge.’’
Thorne isn’t just a pretty face; she’s a fearless action hero too. This petite powerhouse performs many of her own stunts for the film, all while wearing a 50-pound suit. “I like to do as much as I can that’s safe and within reason,” she shared.
Many may not be aware that Thorne’s acting journey actually started with her delving further into her Trinidadian roots. Growing up in a vibrant Trinidadian household in Brooklyn, she felt a disconnect from the history books and her rich cultural heritage. Yearning for a deeper understanding, she collaborated with her Jamaican-American classmate to create 20th Century Gazelle, a powerful piece that explored Caribbean identity, which she later performed in the off-Broadway show, MCC Uncensored. It was there that Thorne’s raw talent caught the eye of agents from Paradigm Talent Agency. “The name sounds a bit corny now,” Thorne jokes, reflecting on her early days, “but that was the very beginning of my career.”
The 2015 recipient of the Young Arts Award in Spoken Theatre and the US Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Thorne was in town to attend yesterday’s 2024 National Entrepreneuship Awards, hosted by the National Entrepreneurship development Company (NEDCO), of which she was the recipient of the recently added Diaspora Award. The event was held at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad.
“It’s wonderful to be recognised by this nation,” expressed the Cornell University graduate, who holds a degree in Human Development. “It’s very, very special to me.”
Thorne arrived in Trinidad on Wednesday night and wasted no time immersing herself in the culture. Just before this interview, she had visited the Lidj Yasu Omowale Emancipation Village, and told us, “It was really nice. I met different vendors, and was even given this really lovely fan!”
High on her agenda before she leaves in a few days is tasting curry crab and dumplings from her aunt’s friend which she declared “the best!” Speaking of food, Thorne, a pescetarian for about ten years now, loves to eat – don’t let her slender, fit body fool you!
Her face lit up when she spoke about corn soup, which she recalls eating at “the side of the road” on one of her earlier visits as a child. “I keep saying I need to marry a chef,” she jokes. “I go to Queens (New York) when I want that authentic Trini food; stew fish and cassava or curry shrimp, pumpkin and bhagi, tamarind sauce, slight pepper, with dhalpuri.
Thorne’s connection to Trinidad runs deep
She first visited when she was three years old. Some of her fondest memories centre around the beaches – Maracas and Pigeon Point. Though she doesn’t get the chance to visit Trinidad very often, she was here last year and played Monday Mas with Yuma Carnival Band. Her parents, Nerissa (from Carapichaima) and Carnavon Guy (from Mayaro), who migrated to the US from Trinidad before she was born, arrived in the country on Friday to witness their daughter being celebrated on home soil.
“You leave your country and try to create a better life for your kids,” she said of her parents. “They weren’t expecting all of this. When I first started acting, my mum was kinda like, ‘you’re sure?’ So, I imagine it’s a little bit of reassurance that everything turned out okay.”
The truth is, things turned out more than okay.
Check the credits for her name in 2018’s If Beale Street Could Talk; her film debut, and 2021’s Judas and the Black Messiah, where she played Judy Harmon, a member of the Black Panthers. Last year, she returned to her first love – theatre – with the critically-acclaimed Broadway play Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, a story about a bustling hair braiding shop in Harlem where a lively and eclectic group of West African immigrant hair braiders create daily masterpieces on the heads of neighbourhood women. She has also graced the covers of Ebony, Essence, and Teen Vogue.
Thorne’s life is a whirlwind of red carpets and early call times. To stay grounded, she prioritises self-care, from yoga to nourishing meals.
“And mentally, I try to focus on my job and show up to the best of my ability, and be an effective team player.” Off-screen, Thorne enjoys a good lime like the rest of us and some quality “me time”. She’s also really into nails and manicures and was sporting a beautiful set during our interview. Her recent focus on self-discovery led her to migrate to Thailand last month; she was intrigued by the country’s culture, monks, and Buddhist traditions, telling Her, “some of the happiest people come from that part of the world. I admire the monks and their connection to a higher power. It’s important for me to always stay grounded in who I am, and remember I am Dominique first.”
As for her love life? Thorne takes a relaxed approach. “What happens, happens,” she shared. “My focus is on becoming a person I respect. If it’s meant to happen it’ll fall in when it falls in.”
Before wrapping up this hour-long interview (the time flew by way faster than we both realised!) Thorne shared this advice to the nations’ youth: “Trust yourself. It can be difficult to balance your dreams with societal expectations and outside forces. But trust that you will take care of yourself; if it doesn’t work out the first time, trust that you have your back at the end of the day. Don’t be scared to take a chance. Count on yourself.”
