The Cast of 'Special Ops: Lioness' on the Inspirational Nature Surrounding the Show
Wagner (center)
As audiences wait for an official announcement regarding a second season, prominent cast members Laysla De Oliveira, Jill Wagner and Michael Kelly reflect on the success of the first season, and what inspires them.
Many fans of golden boy Taylor Sheridan’s work typically only have one major criticism for the creator’s work… he’s doing too much. When the content is there, Sheridan always seems to find massive audiences whether it’s his highly successful Yellowstone and its spin-offs, the gritty Mayor of Kingstown, or additions to the family such as the more comedic gangster fare, Tulsa King. This catalog may not be blanket shows that appeal to everyone, but one only needs to scour the internet to realize the fanbase for each individual show is devout and ravenous for more content. The issue typically being, Sheridan is so popular with networks these days, he’s often spread across his dozens of projects, and there have been delays in production as a result.
One of the newborns in the Sheridan TV family is Special Ops: Lioness, a show that is experiencing its own waiting period as fans hold their breath Paramount will announce a second season. While Lioness is now available to own on Bluray, or stream at home, some of the stars of the show reflect on the tremendous success of the show, and its first season. Much like their fans, Laysla De Oliveira, Jill Wagner and Michael Kelly recognize that Lioness was a massive spectacle of espionage and patriotism that had a bombshell love story that unexpectedly hooked viewers. That mix of jingoistic ideals and heart not only found its audience, but inspired them as well.
Executive producer on the show, Jill Wagner found her inspiration for the concept from a source close to home. “I wanted something. I wanted something that my dad would be like ‘atta girl’, you know what I mean? Wagner comes from a military family, where her grandfather, uncle, father were all Marines, and her husband, despite being an overly-apologetic Canadian at heart, works for the American military as well. Wagner, who has predominantly starred in Hallmark Holiday films for years knew that she wanted something new, and found inspiration one night. As she and her husband sat around a bonfire with a bottle of whiskey, he regaled her with stories of this group of women called “Lionesses”, covert female operatives who work worldwide to take down some of America’s largest threats.
“We stayed up all night. I just asked him questions about the women that he had worked with and I was spellbound. And that is when I knew that Taylor Sheridan had to be involved, his words and the rawness of his characters… I just saw it”.
De Oliveira
The story of the real life women who risk their lives deserved a very tactful approach to ensure the cast did it justice, and star Laysla De Oliveira (yet another soft-hearted and proud Canadian), who plays the titular Lioness, Cruz, knew this was a rarified opportunity. “To be able to portray powerhouse women is very special. Not every script has strong women like that, and for me, being Latin and sharing space with other Latin women (such as costar Zoe Saldaña) in a main character role was just beyond special”. De Oliviera brought such a quiet resolve to Cruz, that her performance was arguably the lynchpin of the adventure. That trademark toughness is something that audiences have come to expect.
Many of the actors in the show are able to bring that strength and the inspirational qualities of their characters from those who inspire them. De Oliveira uses her Brazilian heritage to inspire other Latin girls in the world. Wagner, who also acts on the show as the stouthearted Bobby pulled from the generations of marines in her family. Character actor Michael Kelly, sweetheart of streaming platforms all over televisions and laptops today also drew from his loved ones.
Nicole Kidman, Kelly (center) and Zoe Saldaña
In fact, get Kelly to speak of his parents, and that trademark gruff exterior accentuated by the heavy dark Kelly brows simply melts away. “My mother and my father who I love beyond our words… I wouldn't be where I am without their support. They didn't necessarily have a lot of money, but their moral support meant everything.’ Kelly, who has made a living playing politically minded, intimidating characters was originally drawing from his original life plan, as the actor was attending law school before becoming an actor. “When I first called [my mother] and said, ‘I'm not going to law school, I want to be an actor’. She was like, ‘okay… let's think about this for a minute. If you are an attorney, every time you're in court, you're going to get to act and you're gonna get to fulfill that. I can tell she had reservations, but they were never one to crush my dreams. Then they came to see the play and had tears in their eyes when it was finished.”
One of the qualities that perhaps defines and separates Lioness from the rest of the Sheridan television throng are the people behind it. Their acts of patriotism and bravery on screen are mirrored by the inspirational people they are off screen. The fact they are empathetic and soft hearted natured human beings in reality might not fit the Sheridan narrative brand, but it certainly highlights the tremendous transformation the cast takes in creating their characters.
