Criticism "almost feeds me," Zoe Saldaña says of "Lioness" Season 3. "It challenges me to prove people wrong."Show Caption
"Lioness" star Zoe Saldaña says she heard critics who questioned whether her CIA operative Joe McNamara could pull off the hit TV series' intense physical scenes. And she responded.For Season 3, Saldaña, 48, took her physical preparation to new levels, in part to silence any naysayers. The Oscar-winning actress muscled up for the Taylor Sheridan-created show's most explosive, combat-heavy season yet (the first episode is streaming now on Paramount+)."It's very typical to think that a woman with a petite frame cannot be strong or capable," the 5-foot-6 star tells USA TODAY. "I've always faced this backlash − like people cannot believe Joe could do many of her scenes. And yet I've always been this athletic actress, constantly training, even when I was pregnant with my children."The criticism "almost feeds me," says Saldaña. "It challenges me to prove people wrong."Training began after Zoe Saldaña won her OscarThe journey began in summer 2025. After winning the Academy Award for best supporting actress in "Emilia Pérez" that March, Saldaña got a call from "Lioness" creator Taylor Sheridan. He gave her a preview of the demanding new season, which sends the CIA's elite Lioness team − led by director Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman) − to the front lines of the war in Ukraine while Joe's family comes under threat."Taylor called me like two months before we headed to Texas for the season and told me what to expect," Saldaña says. "He said, 'I definitely want you to build more muscle. I want Joe to be just a machine.' "Saldaña interpreted that to mean she'd be fighting for battlefield proficiency for her similarly aged character."That's the driving factor, Joe has to be sharp and stay on point," she says. "She understands that she's fighting time and gravity."Saldaña immediately hired a private trainer to take her through the paces while vacationing in Italy that summer with her husband, Italian artist Marco Perego-Saldaña, and their three sons, twins Cy and Bowie, 10, and Zen, 8."Italy can be a very tempting country to spend a summer," says Saldaña. "I needed a trainer who watched my nutrition and helped me build strength."The former dancer, who trained extensively in ballet and classical dance, earns a training montage for Joe in "Lioness," preparing for battle in the gym with the sounds of ominous world headlines playing as the soundtrack. While effective, bad news is not what Saldaña plays during her workouts."It's motivating for Joe to hear that news, but I go for pop playlists," says Saldaña. "I go for Ariana Grande, Madonna, maybe some Black Coffee. Listening to the news of the world is the last thing that's going to get me on a treadmill."Zoe Saldaña acts alongside Taylor Sheridan, who's 'an intimidating cat'At Joe's suburban home in the U.S., attacks threaten her fragile life with surgeon husband Neal (Dave Annable), along with daughters Kate (Hannah Love Lanier) and Charlie (Celestina Harris). On the front lines in Ukraine, Joe navigates the surreal, drone-dominated battlefield alongside veteran operatives like Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), Two Cups (James Jordan) and Sgt. Maj. Cody Spears (Sheridan) as the team hunts a high-value Russian target.Sheridan's formidable character, Cody, is the most experienced (and vocal) at surviving this new, lethal style of warfare.Sheridan "is an intimidating cat," Saldaña says. "I'm not going to lie. And he comes in so serious. It raises the bar for the rest of us."Sheridan allowed episode director Michael Friedman to run the show, without pulling the boss card."He didn't walk on set directing, (Sheridan) followed Michael's directions respectfully and honorably," says Saldaña. "Shooting this was rough and rustic and intimidating, but everyone brought the A-game."'Building muscle for Joe inspired me'The "Avatar" actress was ready for the moment, with training and a pre-filming refresher course on handguns and semi-automatics."It's crucial for the entire team to look as authentic as possible," Saldaña says. "I get to walk away with a skill level that I never dreamed of obtaining. It makes me feel stronger."However, the physical preparation really drove her character in Season 3."Weight training is essential, especially for women of a certain age," she says. "It gives you strength you never thought you had, and that gives so much confidence. It's like you can do difficult things. Building muscle for Joe inspired me."
