Inside The 'Lioness' Season 3 Premiere Party In NYC
Inside The ‘Lioness’ Season 3 Premiere Party In NYC With Vanity Fair x Paramount
Lioness fans, the time is almost near! Season three of the action-packed espionage thriller arrives on Paramount + Aug. 2 and to celebrate, the streaming giant and Vanity Fair threw a special advanced premiere screening event for the series on July 29 at the SVA Theater in New York City. Attendees included the star-studded cast led by the series’ leading lady, Zoe Saldaña, who turned heads in an elegant black Balmain gown featuring dramatic ruffle detailing, paired with a breathtaking Cartier necklace.
Joining Saldaña on the red carpet were co-stars Nicole Kidman, Jill Wagner, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly, Dave Annable, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Hannah Love Lanier, Jonah Wharton, Ian Bohen, Thad Luckinbill, Elizaveta Neretin, Celestina Harris, and Matt Gerald.
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Also in attendance were 101 Studios CEO and Executive Producer David Glasser, Executive Producer and Director Michael Friedman, Executive Producer Ron Burkle, Executive Producer David Lemanowicz, Paramount+ Chair of Direct-to-Consumer Cindy Holland, EVP and Head of Originals Jane Wiseman, and Co-Chair of Paramount Pictures and Chair of Paramount Television Studios Dana Goldberg.
Lioness Season Three Premiere: During a fan Q&A, The cast spoke about what to expect this season.
Before the screening, guests were treated to an engaging Q&A featuring the leading ladies of Lioness, Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, Jill Wagner, and Laysla De Oliveira. During the discussion, Saldaña reflected on her character Joe McNamara, and the real-life inspiration behind the series, which is based on Team Lioness, a U.S. military program that embedded female soldiers into combat units during the Iraq War beginning in 2003, according to Vanity Fair. The initiative enabled women to interact with Muslim women in situations where male soldiers could not, adding another layer of authenticity to the show’s gripping story.
“There’s a lot of women that…carry so much weight, and they take on so much responsibility, and they deliver time and time again, and they give 120%, but they’re burning the candle from both ends,” Saldaña said at the premiere, during a Q&A with VF’s Daniela Tijerina, according to Vanity Fair. “That felt very familiar to me.”
Nicole Kidman also spoke about portraying Kaitlyn Meade, the CIA official overseeing the Lioness program, and what drew her to the role.
“I’d never played this type of woman before, where there is an enormous strength and then her allegiance and her protection of her country,” Kidman said. “That’s what she will live and die for.”
Laysla De Oliveira, who stars as Sergeant Cruz Manuelos, shared how her character continues to evolve in the new season, revealing that audiences will see a different side of Cruz after two seasons of intense emotional and physical challenges.
“There were things this year that I didn’t get to try the first season, like, how does Cruz smile? How does she laugh?” cast member Laysla De Oliveira joked during the Q&A. “I don’t know! She’s been brooding for so long.”
Following the screening, guests headed to the after-party at New York hotspot Faena New York, where they celebrated with themed cocktails including “The Lioness Spritz,” “Raven,” and “Safe House.” Cast members mingled with attendees while dancing the night away to music from a live DJ.
What is Lioness about?
Created by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan, Lioness is Paramount+’s action-packed espionage thriller inspired by the real-life U.S. military program of the same name. The series follows CIA senior case officer Joe McNamara (Zoe Saldaña) as she navigates the demanding balance between family life and leading the agency’s elite Lioness team on dangerous undercover missions around the world.
Now renewed for a third season, Lioness continues to raise the stakes. The first season introduced viewers to the CIA’s Lioness program as Joe McNamara recruits young Marine Cruz Manuelos to infiltrate a dangerous terrorist organization. As the story unfolds, the team faces high-risk missions, devastating losses, unexpected emotional connections, and shocking betrayals.
