RuPaul’s Drag Race winner, Shea Couleé is bringing the looks to the MCU as she reveals a little bit more about her Ironheart character.
Marvel Studios’ upcoming series is set to be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The show will follow on from the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and it will also cap off phase five of the MCU. The show follows Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), who debuted in Wakanda Forever, but there will no doubt be a bunch of new characters introduced in the first season. Shea Couleé has been a part of the project for three years. Her character looks to be a very exciting addition.
Shea Couleé will play a character named Slug, who is a former Drag Queen, in #Ironheart:
— Marvel Updates (@marvel_updat3s) June 16, 2025
“You will be seeing the diva in some looks … I help a group of urban Robin Hoods to take away from the privileged and help give back to the community.”
(Via: https://t.co/Bp33hMBhri) pic.twitter.com/BMvE0rE6hM
What we know about Shea Couleé’s character in ‘Ironheart’
Speaking exclusively to Entertainment Weekly, Couleé gave a little bit of information regarding who her character is as well as revealing some important details about their past. According to the Drag Race winner, her character, known as “Slug,” is “a really fierce hacker,” and they will be playing a vital role in the next Black Panther instalment. Well now. That does sound intriguing.
Clearly the character of Slug isn’t a one bit part, we could very well be seeing Couleé’s character pop up in other MCU projects in the future. The drag queen turned actor gave a brief rundown on her character’s back story too.
“I help a group of urban Robin Hoods to take away from the privileged and help give back to the community… I’m there to help out on all the missions that go down, trying to shift this power dynamic in this version of Chicago we see in the show.”
Couleé is careful to avoid giving too much about the character away, however, explaining, “this version of Slug they’re presenting is someone who’s being referred to as a code name.” Apparently, Slug is on the run from some shady figures from their past.
Another element of their past that’s significant is the fact that Slug is also a drag queen, although “They’ve kind of left drag. They are a drag queen, but it’s kind of a past life,” according to Couleé.
The response from fans
Many are excited to see Shea Couleé take the leap from reality TV to the world of the MCU. One excited fan wrote, “Can’t wait to watch this show,” while another commended Marvel for “taking risks.”
Of course, not everyone was happy about this news. A vocal portion of people on X felt they had to make their feelings known. Some predicted that the new series would be a flop, while others pondered what the franchise has come to.
Of course, Ironheart could bomb on release, but it could also soar. Many are excited to see what Shea Couleé brings to the table. The MCU has been stagnating for years, maybe she is the breath of fresh air the franchise so desperately needs.
Ironheart is set to release on Disney Plus on June 24.
