Disney+ has welcomed popular drag queen Shea Couleé to the streaming service for its upcoming Marvel series about a teen superhero in “Ironheart,” coming to the site in 2023.
The 33-year-old, born Jaren Kyei Merrell, spoke to E! News about getting the part and used the words “impactful” and “sexy” to describe the show about a 15-year-old superhero. The series stars Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, who “creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man,” a description on IMDb reads.
“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,” Couleé explained. “I’m so deeply excited for everyone to see what this role is, what it entails and everything it is.”
“Everyone at Marvel has been so unbelievably open and receptive to my experiences and my expertise about drag,” Shea added. “And they’ve allowed me to really come in to the [Marvel Cinematic Universe] and put my very specific Shea Coulee print on the Marvel Universe.”
“It’s going to be really impactful,” Couleé continued. “It’s going to be so smart and creative and clever and funny, and sexy. And so, so, so, so Chicago.”
The winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” also recently celebrated their involvement with Disney by tweeting, “strutting out of the Werkroom” and into Marvel.
BEYOND excited to be strutting out of the Werkroom right into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Words cannot express how excited I am to be a part of this amazing project! Acting was my first love, and I’m thrilled to be doing it again in such a big way! 💖https://t.co/QXGFfRrTqs
— Shea Couleé (@SheaCoulee) August 3, 2022
“BEYOND excited to be strutting out of the Werkroom right into the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” Couleé tweeted. “Words cannot express how excited I am to be a part of this amazing project!”
“Acting was my first love, and I’m thrilled to be doing it again in such a big way!” the drag queen added.
In addition to the site’s latest woke push, Disney appears to have gone back on its previous promise only to include content that was PG-13 or softer after recently adding R-rated films to the site, as The American Spectator noted.
In 2019, before the streaming site launched, a reporter asked a Disney representative if the site would ever carry R-rated films and was told no.
“I asked about R-rated content, if any of Fox’s more adult fare will make it on to Disney+ and he said that Disney+ will all be PG-13 or softer,” Eric Vespe tweeted at the time. “I wonder if this will be their weakness that other streaming services can exploit.”
In July, Disney+ added Deadpool, Deadpool 2, and Logan, the Spectator noted.
(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids’ entertainment content.)
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