Zoë Saldaña praises Lioness creator for ‘gender-fluid’ characters
Zoë Saldaña opens up about Lioness’ “gender-fluid” characters. (John Nacion/Getty)
Ahead of the season three premiere of Lioness, Emilia Pérez star Zoë Saldaña raved about the show’s writer penning “gender-fluid” characters.
The Paramount+ spy thriller follows Joe (Saldaña), a soldier who attempts to balance her personal and professional lives while serving as the tip of the CIA’s spear in the war on terror. Saldaña’s character is a CIA senior case officer in charge of the Lioness program.
The actor is also a vocal LGBTQ+ ally who has spoken about her experiences with sexual fluidity, even stating “girls are such better kissers”.
The show is helmed by Yellowstone’s Taylor Sheridan, who serves as a creator, showrunner and also writer on Lioness. Additionally, Saldaña is joined on the show by The Shawshank Redemption’s Morgan Freeman, The Night Agent’s Genesis Rodriguez and Babygirl’s Nicole Kidman.
At the season premiere in New York City, Saldaña told People: “I do believe that Joe [McNamara] could’ve been a man. We’ve seen various stories of men like Joe.
“And Kaitlyn [Meade] could’ve been a man, the same way [Byron] Westfield could’ve been a woman, Kyle [McManus] could’ve been a woman. These are incredible, complex individuals [and] any actor who challenges themselves can rise to that occasion.”
‘It kind of defies gender and race’
Saldaña highlighted that the ability to pen layered and fluid characters is “what makes a really good writer”.
“When you write something so incredible that it kind of defies gender and race, and it’s just about the merit of that human being, I feel like you give yourself the opportunity of a wider range of actors that can come in and sort of vie for that part,” she continued.
“I have a great deal of respect for men that really know how to write women.
“I’m happy to say that, after playing one of his female characters for three seasons, I’m incredibly honoured that he wrote Joe as a woman.”
Season three of Lioness, according to the synopsis, sees Joe confronting “enemies operating in the shadows, leaving her to reckon with a war that now reaches into every part of her life”.
Lioness has featured LGBTQ+ representation throughout its previous seasons. In Season 1, operative Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) and Aaliyah (Stephanie Nur), the daughter of a suspect, formed an intimate bond while on an undercover mission.
Season three of Lioness premieres on August 2 on Paramount+.
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