Zoe Saldaña has made it clear that her time in Taylor Sheridan's television universe doesn't appear destined to extend beyond Special Ops: Lioness. The actress, who plays Joe McNamara, head of the CIA program that gives the show its name, told People that the role has already consumed all her professional opportunities. In statements reported by outlets like Espinof, she explained that she's the first to arrive on set and the last to leave, and that she needs to prepare months in advance. She doesn't foresee taking on any more of Sheridan's characters.
The actress doesn't attribute this decision to a bad relationship with the creator. On the contrary, she maintains that Sheridan knows her working methods and trusts her, and that they maintain open communication. The series, which premiered in 2023, has three seasons and a fourth has not yet been officially confirmed, although the third season finale leaves the door open for Joe and his team to return. Lioness's future remains uncertain.
A decision marked by physical and emotional exhaustion
In a virtual press conference following the end of the third season, Saldaña explained that playing Joe requires constant training. He works for months with Duffy, the team's physical trainer, and uses his free time between days to train before arriving on set. His ballet background helps him memorize action choreography. He also continues working with Catlin Adams, his acting coach of about twenty years, since the first Avatar film . The character requires almost athletic preparation.
The demands aren't just physical. The actress has said that days can stretch to 13 or 14 hours, and even then, she rehearses her lines before going to sleep. She speaks three languages, so she strives for absolute clarity on what she reads before bringing it to life on stage. Strengthening her body, she adds, is not only useful for responding to action scenes, but also for feeling confident portraying a woman subjected to extreme situations. The workload affects her availability.
Regarding Joe's arc in the third season, Saldaña revealed that Sheridan told her beforehand that her character would be kidnapped and that the team would go to rescue her. Then he added another twist: Joe would have to save herself first. The actress sees honesty in that contradiction: Joe is brilliant at her job, but she's not a perfect mother or a perfect soldier. She's human, and many women can recognize themselves in that struggle to respond with the same intensity at work and at home. The story thrives on her vulnerability.
Taylor Sheridan, attentive to Dominican roots
During that meeting, Saldaña was asked about the nods to her Dominican roots that appear in Lioness. The actress clarified that she didn't request them: they were Sheridan's initiative. "No. I don't ask for it. That's Taylor," she replied. For her, these details demonstrate that the creator listens to what matters to her as a person and as an artist, and that when he finds a connection with Joe, he translates it into the script. Sheridan incorporates personal elements of Saldaña's.
The communication between them doesn't follow a list of requests. Sometimes their conversations last only a few minutes; other times they come in the form of text messages or longer calls about the character's direction. In these exchanges, Saldaña shares anecdotes from her life that later help to emotionally develop Joe. She receives these details as small gifts within the story. The collaboration is based on mutual listening.
The actress also highlighted that for years there have been few Dominican characters in large-scale productions. That's why she appreciates that her roots aren't sidelined, but rather integrated into the character's development. "There aren't that many Dominican characters out there. There weren't before. I know we're just getting started, and I'm very excited," she expressed. Dominican representation is gaining ground.
A star who doesn't want to repeat the formula
The creator of Yellowstone has a habit of using trusted actors in several of his series. Lioness features names like Dave Annable, Austin Hébert, LaMonica Garrett, Michael Kelly, James Jordan, Neal McDonough, and Michelle Randolph, some of whom have previous roles in Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, Mayor of Kingstown, or Tulsa King. However, Saldaña doesn't want to follow that path. He prefers to focus on his current character.
Although she doesn't envision herself taking on any more projects within the Sheridan universe, the actress has expressed her willingness to do a fourth season of Lioness. However, Paramount+ hasn't officially renewed the series. The cliffhanger ending of the third season makes it highly likely that Joe and her colleagues will return to SkyShowtime, but it's not confirmed. The door to a fourth season is ajar.
Beyond fiction: recognition and learning
Saldaña also spoke about how she listens to military personnel and specialists who collaborate on the production to understand reactions and situations. She recalled a scene from the second season in which Joe, after escaping an extreme situation, tries to talk to her children and husband while she is shaken and processing what happened. For the actress, portraying these stories honestly is a responsibility. Fiction draws on real experiences.
Although Lioness uses elements inspired by the real world, Saldaña wanted to make a distinction: it's a fictional narrative intended to entertain, not a direct response to a specific geopolitical conflict. Even so, she emphasized that there are women who work in environments similar to Joe's and whose work rarely receives enough visibility. The series is not intended to be a documentary.
The conversation touched on her awards season while she was still filming a physically demanding series. She spoke of euphoria, exhaustion, smiles and tears, and the feeling of finally being recognized by a film community she's been a part of for decades. "My film community sees me and knows I've been here," she said. The recognition comes after years of hard work.
She also highlighted what she'd learned from her characters: archery, weapons, and other disciplines that had previously seemed foreign to her. She recalled that she comes from Jackson Heights, Queens, and argued that talent doesn't replace hard work or daily preparation. "If you put in the work, you can learn anything," she pointed out. If she could learn to shoot a bow or assemble a semi-automatic weapon, anyone can be surprised by what they are capable of learning. Perseverance is more important than innate talent.
Zoe Saldaña maintains a clear position: she enjoys Lioness and her connection with Taylor Sheridan, but she's not willing to increase her commitments within the creator's television universe. The series has three seasons, a fourth hasn't been confirmed, and its future depends on a renewal that hasn't yet materialized. Meanwhile, the actress acknowledges the physical and emotional effort behind Joe McNamara, Sheridan's attention to his Dominican roots, and the belated recognition from an industry in which he's worked for decades. Her priority remains Lioness, with or without more projects from Sheridan.
