'Ironheart' Star, 21, on Why N.A.T.A.L.I.E. Is More Important to the MCU Than Vision or Ultron: "She Simply Feels Real" [Exclusive]

WithIronheart, the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t just give us acompelling new heroin Riri Williams — it introduces a standout performance fromLyric Ross, whose portrayal of Natalie Washington (and her AI counterpart, N.A.T.A.L.I.E.)who brings a level of emotional depth rarely seen in Marvel’s artificial intelligences. While fans have long admired the likes of J.A.R.V.I.S., Vision (both voiced byPaul Bettany), and even Ultron (James Spader), Ross believes Natalie is something else entirely. And frankly, she’s right. In an interview with Collider’sAidan Kelley, Ross explained what makes her character different — and more human — than previous MCU AIs.

“I think it’s the fact that she simply feels real. It’s a lot of things that you can relate with her with. Even the back and forth between Riri and Natalie and the way that they handle each other. Those are real situations when it comes to very strong and personal relationships. It was a lot of things that she gave to their dynamic that was really actions of love that any regular person can give to another.

I think just the core of that and being honest, I think that was a huge thing. The way that she took on challenges, to me, was very similar to the way Riri took on challenges. They were kind of one in the same, but at the same time, very different. It’s a lot of different moving parts that I feel like people can relate to. You know, looking at the Jarvises and characters like that, as much as you love and adore them, it’s very hard to relate cause they stick to the whole robotic or program feel, and Natalie was there to prove that she was much more than that. And that she wanted to be a friend, a supporter, and a protector in any way that she could.”

N.A.T.A.L.I.E. Makes Us Feel in Ways J.A.R.V.I.S. Never Did

Natalie’s existence as a coping mechanism adds another layer toRiri’s grief over losing her real best friend in the series, too. She’s genuinelymorethan just a virtual assistant. When asked if N.A.T.A.L.I.E. helps Riri heal or just delays the inevitable, Ross had a beautifully complex answer:

“Oh, that’s deep. Can I say both? … Yeah, it’s kind of crazy. You can see her intention. You understand that she’s really there just to help and not hurt in any way," Ross explained. “Of course, it sounds like she’s a little bit more selfish and like she wants that relationship and joy and happiness that she keeps replaying for herself. But she also acknowledges the fact that this girl is still hurt.This girl is still grieving, and because she loves her, she is willing to do anything in order to help her heal. And she doesn’t have everything figured out. It doesn’t have anything to do with anything tech-wise or programming. All of that she can do with ease. This is a very new challenge for her, dealing with people in a humane way. This is literally still an AI, so the fact that she is still figuring things out, but you can tell where her intentions lie. I think it was really good for her.”