Zoe Saldaña, known for her roles in “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” stars in and executive produces the second season of “Special Ops: Lioness” on Paramount+.
The series follows undercover CIA agents working to assassinate terrorists. Saldaña returns as Joe, a tough CIA agent. She said there were more fight scenes and a lot more physical scenes in season two.
Saldaña credits the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, with knowing her background as a dancer and stuntwoman.
“I like to surprise myself. I like to go to these extremes to see if I can achieve it,” she said.
One of the key moments of the new season involves his character, who asks a potential recruit, “Do you love your country?” The weight of this question, Saldaña explained, goes beyond words.
“I think you have to understand the sacrifices you have to make when you swear an oath to a nation,” she said. “Knowing that at all times you will have to do everything in your power to keep the nation safe. When you say the nation, you mean the people.”
For Saldaña, this season brings additional complexity to Joe’s character, as she struggles to balance her duty and that of a mother.
“Now that she’s older, she’s experiencing a level of fear that she’s never had. You know, when you’re young, you have absolutely no fear,” Saldaña said. “As soon as you get older and you have kids, you start to accept your own mortality, you feel your mortality. And I think that’s where Joe is.”
Saldaña also said she related to Joe’s journey on a personal level, especially when it came to being underestimated.
“I am here today because of this. I rise and I feel that it is innate in me to give 120%, not for others. You must first live for yourself, then, to in turn, to live for others,” she said.
Season 2 of Special Ops: Lioness premieres October 27 on Paramount+.
