Ryan Green/Paramount+
Taylor Sheridan's TV shows often push actors to their limits, and Zoe Saldaña doesn't appear eager to take on another of his challenges in addition to "Lioness." On the Paramount+ series, Saldaña stars as no-nonsense CIA operative Joe McNamara, who runs the top-secret Lioness program while taking part in high-stakes missions on the ground.
In a 2026 interview with People, Saldaña, who also serves as an executive producer on "Lioness," explained why she isn't eager to become the newest actor to join multiple Sheridan-created shows. "I think that Joe McNamara and 'Lioness' is all that I can handle at this time," she said. "I'm number one on the call sheet. I am first one in, last one out. I am prepping months before anybody ever is able to prep. So it's already a lot of work for me."
The role's physical demands aren't limited to the training that goes into portraying a CIA operative. Sheridan's preference for practical sets and effects on shows like "Yellowstone," "Landman," and "Lioness" also contributes to the demanding nature of the work. "I can't imagine me taking on more of a Taylor Sheridan world," Saldaña added. "I have my views, and I come with all heart, all brains, all muscle at all times. So, no, I think I'm good here at 'Lioness.'"
Zoe Saldaña described how Lioness Season 3 tested her even more
Ryan Green/Paramount+
Although "Lioness" required Zoe Saldaña to give her all from the beginning, Season 3 was an especially tough test. According to the star, Sheridan asked her to bulk up for the new storyline, in which Joe gets abducted and tortured by unidentified agents before being rescued by her team in the penultimate episode. "I didn't even know if I was gonna be able to pull it off," Saldaña shared with Entertainment Weekly regarding her character's agonizing Season 3 arc.
Saldaña has also faced skepticism over whether she could convincingly pull off Joe's demanding combat scenes. But she isn't fazed by those who underestimate the extensive physical preparation she brings to the role. "It's very typical to think that a woman with a petite frame cannot be strong or capable," she told USA Today. "I've always faced this backlash — like people cannot believe Joe could do many of her scenes. And yet I've always been this athletic actress, constantly training, even when I was pregnant with my children."
The fate of "Lioness" beyond Season 3 remains up in the air as of this writing, with Paramount+ yet to renew the series for a fourth season. Whatever comes next, Saldaña has made it clear that "Lioness" is the only Sheridan series she wants to take on for now.
