The female military operatives of the CIA’s Lioness program are back on the hunt in an action-packed new mission in this Taylor Sheridan-produced spy thriller’s second installment. The two-episode premiere ignites with the kidnapping of a U.S. congresswoman, launching a season that finds the tough officer in charge, Joe McNamara (Zoe Saldaña) grappling with hard truths.
“Joe is a very clean player in a sometimes-dirty game. You’ll go in-depth with Joe as she’s discovering this,” Saldaña told TV Insider. “It’s hard to navigate an environment where everybody is holding secrets. [That creates] hostility and doubt within [the] unit.”
Here, the actress tells us more about the high-stakes action, hints at new twists for the A-list cast, and shares how she trained harder than ever for the badass role.
Are we heading into a bigger and badder season for Joe?
Zoe Saldaña: Joe is going to be involved in a lot more action versus making decisions and designing the operations. What Taylor really wanted for Joe is to raise those stakes so high that it compels Joe to wonder what the f*** is she still doing here. Taylor has researched. He’s surrounded by people that are experienced in their respective fields, so there’s a lot of reality in what we do — and a lot of fiction, I’m pretty sure. That’s what’s going to make this season a lot spicier. It’s going to be a hot one!
What turns up the heat?
[CIA agent/Joe’s colleague] Kyle McManus [Thad Luckinbill] and Joe’s respective missions cross-pollinate. That’s a huge wake-up call for Joe. Sometimes these lines have to become blurred in order for missions to be properly executed. Joe has to wrestle with having a moral code that she just has innately as a person and having an oath that she has no desire to break. You have this commitment to be absolutely discrete and protect information even from your own team. That creates hostility and doubt. Joe has to refocus the team.
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Is Joe’s boss and mentor Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman) one of the people keeping secrets?
Kaitlyn’s a machine, and she’s trained and raised a machine. As long as Kaitlyn and Joe are on the right side of the fight together, they’re a force to be reckoned with. Will that always be completely certain that they’re both on the same side? No, and that’s their job. Their job is to keep everybody guessing, even each other. We’re going to see how this relationship truly is, and how ruthless these women can be to get their missions accomplished. The one thing they have in common is that they’re true patriots and believe in what they’re doing. The difference is that for Joe, it’s hard to lose a Lioness. It’s unfathomable for her.
Do we still feel the presence of fan-favorite Lioness and Joe’s recruit, Cruz Mañuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), who walked away from the job in the Season 1 finale?
Cruz was ready to leave. I am not saying she’s coming back. It’s going to be a surprise that we are holding until the very last minute, for the sake of the fans. There are a lot of similarities that Joe sees between her and Cruz but it’s things that Joe used to be. Cruz is a strong-willed character who truly believes in her unit and in people. Sometimes that compels her to question the mission and how far she will go to get it executed. Joe made peace with that a while back.
Does Joe recruit a new Lioness?
Oh boy. The stakes are getting higher. Not just recruiting hungry young patriots who would do anything to be assigned to the Lioness program. Joe also has to cross between other organizations within people in service and either recruit them or take away any resources that they may have. They have no other choice but to join.
What can you say about Genesis Rodriguez’s new character Josie?
Genesis is an officer of a certain rank, so she’s not used to taking orders from other superiors, especially from other organizations.
Can you hint what fans should expect from Secretary of State Edwin Mullins (Morgan Freeman) and CIA Deputy Director Westfield (Michael Kelly) in Season 2?
We’ll get to know a little more about Westfield. I find him to be one of the most fascinating characters, the one sitting in a very hot seat. He may feel cold at times and quick to make compromising decisions, but he still has a backbone. We will see different layers to him. Morgan Freeman’s character is in a position of power to approve and green-light many things, so he has to practice good judgment. Watching Morgan incarnate this character and move in a room is quite fascinating. Nicole, Michael, and I are all pinching ourselves every time we work with him.
Will Joe continue to grapple with what this job is doing to her family?
Yes. Season 1 was planting that seed of what happens in your life where you begin to be fearful as opposed to fearless. You realize that putting your life at risk runs the risk of endangering your family structure, your relationship to your partner, your children. In Season 2, we are going to see just how much of a sacrifice it is and the toll that is starting to take on Joe. Joe’s going to try to indulge her family as much as she can without compromising her commitment and her oath. There is a lot of tension. But at the end of the day, there is a beautiful and genuine love story between Joe and her husband Neil [Dave Annable] and they would do anything to keep their daughters safe and healthy.
Ryan Green/Paramount+
Did you have to train hard for this season?
Episode after episode, we’re going to hold onto the edge of our seats while Joe’s putting her team through different missions. That demanded a lot more training. I tend to always condition myself. As a former ballerina, I’ve always believed in the connection that I have with my body, and then I mold it according to the kind of character and film that I’m doing. For this one, I worked with my trainer and a former Navy SEAL who trained the cast. It was weight training, which I am happy about — I don’t like doing cardio!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Lioness, Season 2 premiere, October 27, Paramount+
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