Paramount+’s Lioness is returning for a second season this fall, and, as fans know, production has been ongoing since May 23, 2024. The new season will see lead stars Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, and Morgan Freeman reprise their roles, with an additional star joining the team. Genesis Rodriguez, known for playing Sloane Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, has been added to the cast list of Lioness Season 2, and fans will see her portraying Captain Josephina “Josie” Carillo, a fierce helicopter pilot, as confirmed by People Magazine.
In addition to this exciting update, Saldaña, who stars as Joe, the CIA officer leading the Lioness program (the group’s female undercover operatives) gave a few hints at what to expect in the upcoming season, particularly for her character. “Joe is taking time off, which is what she wanted. She is spending time mending her marriage and rehabilitating her relationship with her daughter (Kate, played by Hannah Love Lanier). She’s just spending time with her family… Joe and Neal (Dave Annable) are in a really good place at the start of the season.”
The Avatar star further touched on her relationship with the new character Josie in Lioness Season 2 and what it’s like working with Rodriguez. “It’s a strange relationship — there’s a lot of mistrust from the beginning,” Saldaña teased. Even so, partnering with Rodriguez on this project has been a “breath of fresh air” for the actress, who added of her new co-star, “She is sweet, kind, and so professional. When you speak to her, there’s just this light to her spirit that makes everyone smile around her.”
There’s Still “Absolute Trust” Between Joe and Her Boss in ‘Lioness’ Season 2
Created by Taylor Sheridan, who executive produced Season 1, Lioness is a spy thriller show that premiered in July 2023 on Paramount+. Starring in the well-received first season alongside Saldaña, Kidman, and Freeman were Michael Kelly, Laysla De Oliveira, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, Jennifer Ehle, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Bruce McGill, and Thad Luckinbill. Saldaña, Kidman, and Wagner also served as executive producers, joining Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, and Geyer Kosinski.
Divulging more about what’s to come in Lioness Season 2, Saldaña shared that Joe and her boss, Kaitlyn Meade (Kidman), still have a great relationship with “absolute trust” between them. In her words: “There is absolute trust in Joe’s relationship with Kaitlyn. They very much have a role model, mentee-mentor kind of relationship. Joe has always looked up to Kaitlyn, and Kaitlyn knows that there is nothing that she can ask of Joe that she won’t deliver on.”
Lioness Season 2 will premiere this fall on Paramount+. Stay tuned to Collider for more information and catch up on past episodes on Paramount+.
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