Zoe Saldaña explained how her grueling commitment to “Lioness” has her rethinking doing another Taylor Sheridan show.
“I think that Joe McNamara and ‘Lioness’ is all that I can handle at this time,” she said in a new interview with People, referring to the CIA operative she plays in the hit Paramount+ spy series.
“I can’t imagine me taking on more of a Taylor Sheridan world,” the actress added.
Saldaña, 48, noted that both starring in and executive producing “Lioness” is a major responsibility.
“I’m number one on the call sheet. I am first one in, last one out,” she shared. “I am prepping months before anybody ever is able to prep. So it’s already a lot of work for me.”
However, Saldaña said she’s “grateful” working with Sheridan, 56, because the TV producer knows she’s “honest,” “tough as nails” and “vocal and opinionated.”
“I have my views, and I come with all heart, all brains, all muscle at all times,” she said, adding, “So, no, I think I’m good here at ‘Lioness.’”
Saldaña stars in “Lioness” alongside Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly, Laysla De Oliveira, Jill Wagner and Dave Annable.
Following the show’s Season 3 finale that revealed Aaliyah Amrohi (Stephanie Nur) was the mastermind behind Joe’s abduction, Saldaña admitted she’s unsure if there’s more story to tell.
“I don’t know if we’re able to go to a season 4,” the Oscar winner told People. “I don’t know where he would take it.”
Saldaña previously told Entertainment Weekly that her work on “Lioness” Season 3 took a lot out of her.
“It was very demanding, I’m not gonna lie,” she said. “And I didn’t even know if I was gonna be able to pull it off.”
However, Saldaña said that after having “various conversations” with Sheridan about her character’s storyline, she’s “so happy and proud of the direction that [Sheridan] eventually took.”
Meanwhile, Wagner, who portrays Quick Reaction Force (QRF) leader Bobby, revealed earlier this month that Sheridan forced her to relearn a scene with her non-dominant hand, mere minutes before filming.
“He forces you to run into the fire,” she told People of the “Yellowstone” creator.
De Oliveira, who plays operative Cruz Manuelos, told the outlet that Sheridan “can change things on the spot” during filming.
“You have to have your head on a swivel and be able to do that,” she said, before clarifying that Sheridan doesn’t change scripts last-minute.
“Lioness” is streaming on Paramount+.
