‘House of the Dragon’ Star Abigail Thorn Wants to Join James Gunn’s DCU as Wonder Woman: “I’d Play Diana for FREE!”

From YouTube creator to rising franchise performer, Abigail Thorn is redefining what a modern entertainment career can look like. After building a global audience of more than 1.6 million subscribers through her cinematic, character-driven work on Philosophy Tube, Thorn has expanded into some of the biggest worlds in film, television, theatre, and gaming, including HBO’s House of the Dragon, Disney+’s Star Wars: The Acolyte, and Baldur’s Gate III.

A classically trained actor, writer, and self-described comic book fan, Thorn has embraced roles that combine performance, physicality, and larger-than-life storytelling. Her appearance at the House of the Dragon premiere, where she wore a custom Wonder Woman-inspired gown, became a viral fashion moment that reflected both her love for comics and her belief in celebrating strength, confidence, and individuality.

She also revealed that Diana Prince’s unapologetic portrayal of power and heroism had a personal impact on her, especially as someone who grew up feeling different because of her height and build.

In this conversation, Thorn discusses the creative process behind her iconic red carpet look, why Wonder Woman remains such an important figure to her, and whether she would ever consider stepping into the role of Diana Prince herself. She also opens up about moving between different storytelling mediums, from voicing Nocturne in Baldur’s Gate III to joining the Star Wars universe, and shares her experiences working alongside talents like Carrie-Anne Moss and Leslye Headland.

Looking ahead, Thorn talks about her upcoming projects, including a feature film in development and the return of her award-winning play The Prince, while explaining why she remains focused on challenging herself as an actor regardless of the size of the production.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

 We have to talk about your House of the Dragon premiere look, which was an absolute showstopper. You worked closely with your designer to create a custom Wonder Woman-inspired gown. Can you walk us through that creative process? How do you take such an iconic superhero and translate her essence into an elegant, high-fashion red carpet statement?

Once we knew the date of the red carpet, I circled up with Brian Conway, my stylist, and Nicki Buglewicz, my makeup artist, and we started making plans! I sent them reference images from the comics and explained my vision. Brian and I looked at a few different designers but in the end we felt Chris Habana was the perfect fit: his punky, gothy aesthetic and the work he did for Zendaya and Cardi B were what sold me. Chris submitted some sketches which we went back and forth on before settling on the final design with the custom breastplate.

The look has no necklace: a few brands reached out to offer, but I wanted the hierarchy of visuals to put muscles at the top; that’s the most important accessory! Fashion is art you wear after all: it’s clothes in collaboration with the body. While Chris was working on that, I struck a deal with Vivian Wilson: she gave me a modelling lesson and in exchange I gave her an acting one.

She helped me find the ferocity and the poise needed to wear the outfit. Fashion is like driving, y’know? You can’t just jump behind the wheel of a V8 stick shift and start racing; you have to practice for something that powerful! Once the outfit was done, it was Nicki’s turn to step in. We went for hair down, which was bold – it’s not the fashion for red carpets this year and can be practically difficult if conditions are windy. But it was wilder, more powerful, and preserved that hierarchy of visuals. She buffed my skin with glow serum on a velvet mitt to get that goddess radiance.

The final touch was the Alexander McQueen bag, which I picked myself, the one with his signature knuckle dusters. McQueen’s designs were always edgy: the Met Museum’s 2011 exhibition of his work was titled “Savage Beauty” for a reason! He wasn’t afraid to get political either: he had “Highland Rape” in 1995 and “No. 13.” in 1998 – he dressed disabled model Aimee Mullins, so he didn’t shy away from the beauty of non-normative bodies either. He said, “I want people to be afraid of the women I dress,” so McQueen was perfect for Lohar/Diana/me!

 What was it about Diana Prince specifically that made her the perfect muse for celebrating your entry into Westeros? Does channeling that kind of Amazonian, warrior-woman energy on the red carpet reflect how you approach formidable, commanding roles like Admiral Lohar?

I’m a huge fan of Absolute Wonder Woman: I think what Kelly Thompson has done with Diana is amazing, and I love Hayden Sherman’s art; the expressiveness he brings to faces is beautiful. In the past I’ve struggled with being tall and broad; like a lot of tall women I’ve wished I was smaller, if only to make it easier to find clothes that fit!

But seeing Diana in those comics be unapologetically tall and strong, and be that way because she’s a hero! It was very healing for me. I was so pleased when I saw their Eisner and Hugo nominations, just so happy for them and their whole squad! So I wanted to draw attention to their work and send them some love.

It was also the perfect look to announce me as an action star and show off the muscles I’d gained. Plus, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but a lot of women on both sides of the Atlantic are facing some pretty big challenges right now! I wanted a look that showcased female strength and defiance. Who better to draw inspiration from than Diana, Witch of the Wild Isle, Princess of Hell?

Given how flawlessly you pulled off that Wonder Woman aesthetic, it’s no surprise the internet is constantly fancasting. With James Gunn currently reshaping the new DC Universe and projects like the Paradise Lost series in development, is stepping into the role of Diana Prince—or another iconic DC hero—a dream you’d actively pursue?

Are you kidding?! I’d play Diana for FREE! I love what James Gunn’s done with DC: his Superman film was what inspired me to get into comics in the first place. And obviously I grew up watching the Marvel movies.

So if they ever adapt Absolute Wonder Woman into anything – animated, live action, you name it – I’d love to give it my best shot. I wouldn’t want any special treatment, mind. I’d be honoured just to audition like everyone else and show what I can do.

There have been some iconic female DC superheroes already, like Millie Alcock as Supergirl and Nicole Maines as Dreamer. I’d love to be up there with them: I have the muscles, and it’d be nice to act in something the kids in my family can watch! Plus, it feels like we need that right now, as a culture? Wonder Woman represents womanhood without limits, without borders, boundaries, or strict definitions holding us back.

She’s who we could be without patriarchy. I’d love to contribute to something that carries that message forward for the next generation of girls, especially my little nieces. I want that world for them. 

You are successfully crossing multiple storytelling mediums at once, from your current stage role in the Off West End revival of Blink to voice acting as Nocturne in Baldur’s Gate III. How does voice acting for a massive RPG compare to traditional screen acting, and are there any other video game franchises you’d love to join?

Baldur’s Gate III was a funny one ‘cause I didn’t know Nocturne was so important until the game came out and people started messaging me about her! I enjoyed working with Beth Park, the voiceover director, to find Nocturne’s character. We tried a few different approaches before settling on the ‘Girl Next Door’ energy she ended up with. As for other video game franchises, I love a story-driven RPG. I’m a big fan of The Outer Worlds and Ghost of Yotei – Erika Ishii is another icon of mine – and Fallout too, I’ve been playing those games since I was a kid, and I love the Amazon series.

Between Westeros and your role in Star Wars: The Acolyte, you are ticking off some massive geek milestones. What was the most surreal moment for you when you first stepped onto a Star Wars set, and how does the energy of that franchise compare to the gritty world of House of the Dragon?

There were so many lovely moments on Star Wars! I had lessons with movement coach Alexandra Reynolds on how to use The Force: that was fun. Carrie-Anne Moss is one of my acting heroines; I thought she was incredible in Jessica Jones, so being on set with her was a privilege.

My favourite moment though was Leslye Headland welcoming me to set: she was so kind and sweet to work with and such a talented writer. I saw her play, Cult of Love, in New York and thought it was fantastic, so getting to help bring her vision to life meant a lot. She texts me sometimes; she’s a wise woman, and I appreciate her.

There were some similarities to HOTD: on a big franchise like that, there are a lot of bells and whistles and practical effects on set. But your job as an actor is always the same: to make it emotionally real and remind us why we care. We’re The Human Being Department!

s As your screen profile rapidly expands across different genres, what can you tease about your upcoming projects, and are you looking to focus more heavily on large-scale franchise performances, or are you eager to return to writing your own original work?

I have a feature film in development. We’ve just attached a wonderful director, and we’re going out to financing, so if we can get the money together, you’ll see me in another kickass action role! At the end of July, my play The Prince is going to have a staged reading in Los Angeles; that’s very exciting too. It’s Vivan’s acting debut, and I’m really honoured she’s trusting me with that; I think she’s going to blow people’s minds. And of course there’s more Philosophy Tube on the way! I don’t mind whether the work is big or small: acting is the art form to which I’ve dedicated my life, so I just want to get better at it. Whatever the role, I hope it challenges me so I can improve.

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