Remember me
Zoe Saldaña and Laysla De Oliveira Pic: Emerson Miller/Paramount+.
Do you have plans this weekend? Well, we have you covered as Lioness returns for its third season on Paramount+ on August 2nd.
Ahead of the show dropping, STELLAR caught up with the stars Laysla De Oliveira and Jill Wagner. Jill was the one who sparked the idea for the show which follows female operatives, who are known as Lionesses, who go undercover in the war on terror. The show was brought to life by Taylor Sheridan, the man behind Yellowstone and they can’t talk highly enough about the man.
“It was his belief in me that made me do it. When he believes in you, you do it,” Laysla gushes about him as we chat about her character, Cruz.
Meanwhile, Jill speaks about finding her dream role in her 40s, admitting that she thought she “missed the boat”.
They’re keeping tight-lipped about what we can expect from season three, but here we chat about Lioness, working with Taylor Sheridan and putting women at the front.
I want to congratulate you guys on three seasons of a show. It’s no small feat, especially now! What can fans expect from season three of Lioness?
Laysla: We can’t say much! The mission is more personal than ever. I’m the Tom Holland of the group, you know how he always spoils everything. So, you take it away, Jill.
Jill: It’s very cerebral. I think the whole thing gets pretty deep. We’re working with modern warfare, which I think is something that Taylor [Sheridan] is so good at. This is stuff that you read online and watch on the news; this is going on. He keeps it very current. That’s all we can say. That’s all we’re telling you!
Laysla: Tune in August 2nd, Paramount+!
Jill Wagner Pic: Emerson Miller/Paramount+.
You’ve been playing these characters for three seasons. Is it easy to slip into your characters of Cruz and Bobby?
Laysla: I think it definitely gets easier because you know what to do. But every year brings its own challenges. Because Taylor is so great at expanding characters. I feel like every year we’re exploring something that we haven’t before.
Jill: I mean, you hope so anyway. Because otherwise it would get pretty boring if we all just stayed the same. Just being in this type of show with the physicality of it is challenging. Just to keep up, to be honest with you. I keep saying to [Taylor], “How old is this QRF [Quick Reaction Force] going to be? We’re struggling running up the hill in 140-degree weather!” It is no joke. So to do that and to be able to act, that’s one thing. This show could literally, I’m going to say it right now, this show could go as long as he wants it to go. I don’t want to say it writes itself because obviously he writes it. But there is so much to pull from, from current events of what’s going on in the world today that’s so important to talk about.
Laysla: It’s so different. Every season is so different that it could go on forever.
Jill: Hopefully that happens. I’ll be like seventy or eighty years old.
Laysla De Oliveira and LaMonica Garrett Pic: Lauren Smith/Paramount+.
Well, if all the men can do it, let’s do it for the girls as well!
Jill: That’s what I’m talking about! Absolutely. Absolutely.
You play such incredibly strong women in Lioness. Is that what attracted you to the show?
Laysla: Obviously, for me, it was the names that are involved. When you see that come up in your inbox, you don’t even have to read the script to know, I would love this opportunity. But then when I read the script, I just, I fell in love with Cruz. And she terrified me because of the physicality aspect. I hadn’t even lifted a single weight at that time. It was a big mental and physical challenge. But I really knew her heart. Her heart really spoke to mine. She has a tough exterior and a really soft interior. I, myself, have a really soft interior. So I was like, oh, how can I infuse livelihood into that and then add all new hardware to make Cruz? That was really exciting for me. Once Taylor gave me the opportunity, I jumped at it. I can remember he called me and I was like, “You have to go to the gym like tomorrow.” But it was his belief in me that made me do it. When he believes in you, you do it.
Jill: That means something. He doesn’t give compliments to everybody. He doesn’t give compliments if he doesn’t mean it.
Laysla: Then I got to meet all these actors that I didn’t know, and I’m so honoured to be working with.
Laysla De Oliveira and Genesis Rodriguez Pic: Ryan Green/Paramount+.
Jill: What drew me to Lioness is who the show represents. The show represents our women in our military. And our men, by the way. I love our men too. I married one. But then me personally, I’ve always been known as the girl next door, like family friendly, which is great. I love those roles. But I knew that there was another side that Hollywood hadn’t seen. When I turned 40, I was like, “Oh, I missed the boat. I guess, I’m at the end of my career, and no one’s going to ever see that.” I think everyone in their own careers probably felt that, whether you’re an actor or not. I just didn’t do the thing that I know I could have done. And the fact that I get to do that now, I can die happy.
Laysla: And she came up with the idea for the show, by the way.
Jill: My husband and I did. But it’s Taylor’s brainchild. It’s his universe. I was just lucky enough to know him. He was my old acting coach. I was the seed; he was the sunlight. It takes all of it, right? But it was the perfect storm.