Zoe Saldaña has had a lot on her plate over the last couple of years. She played Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films for nearly a decade, and is one of the key stars in the Avatar franchise, which is expected to drop several more installments in the coming years. Of course, because she's so busy, the actress sometimes can’t take parts that interest her due to scheduling conflicts. Luckily, showrunner Taylor Sheridan graciously waited for the From Scratch star to wrap some of her franchise commitments before moving forward with his latest project, Special Ops: Lioness.
The Marvel alum discussed her franchise commitments while speaking with ET at the new show's premiere. One matter she touched on is how they hindered her from moving beyond the blockbuster roles, which is something she's opened up about in recent years. While she loves being a part of GOTG and Avatar, she has a desire to see what other opportunities are out there. She got incredibly candid about that during her interview:
It feels great being here, feels wonderful knowing that two or three years ago I was whispering to myself just how disheartened I was, because I had reached a peak in my life where I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to see what was out there beyond these amazing franchises, that have granted me so many opportunities but have also taken so much of my time.
The 45-year-old star went on to say that while she was longing for exploration and something new Taylor Sheridan, offered her the opportunity to lead Special Ops: Lioness. While she was grateful for him seeking her out, she initially didn’t jump at the offer. She explained:
[I felt] I can be, I don’t know, challenging myself a little more, and then Taylor called in the middle of the pandemic and presented me this opportunity. So it almost felt like I had wished it so hard internally, you know, that the universe heard it. I did what every insecure actor does: I ran away. I said no. I self-sabotaged for a year.
She got a nice surprise, though, when the super producer opted to wait for her to be in the right headspace to take on such a project -- and to finish up with another notable project, of course. Zoe Saldaña further recalled the moment that she sealed the business deal with the gratuitous Yellowstone creator, and it sounds very sweet:
And then, after I finished a series called From Scratch, I sent him a text and he immediately responded and in a very nice way he was like, ’I told you, silly, we were waiting on you. And I decided to believe him so I jumped on this journey and I really had a wonderful time.
In Special Ops: Lioness, Zoe Saldaña plays a Marine tasked with building a relationship with the daughter of a suspected terrorist who's being pursued by the CIA. The role utilizes the badass physicality she demonstrated in Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy while also showcasing her superb acting chops. The spy thriller has an all-star cast, consisting of stars like Morgan Freeman and Nicole Kidman. Taylor Sheridan’s shows have a track record for becoming hits, and I can't wait to see what this production has in store!
As for the leading lady, she'll likely have opportunities to explore non-blockbuster material moving forward. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 closed the book on the OG team of cosmic A-holes, so her work with Marvel has likely come to a close. In addition, the Avatar films are becoming more spread out, with the fifth film recently being given a 2031 release date -- which spurred a hilarious response from the star. So let's hope this is the start of a brand new era for the fan-favorite performer one that allows her to work with even more talented and generous creatives like Taylor Sheridan.
You can see Zoe Saldaña in Special Ops: Lioness, which will be available for Paramount+ subscribers, when the show premiers on July 23rd. Fans should also check out our feature on the best movie and TV performances from Saldaña. And for more information on other series heading to streaming later this year, make sure to consult our 2023 TV schedule.
