Paramount+‘sSpecial Ops: Lionesscontainsa talented and distinguished cast, ranging from Academy Award winnersto an actress who has starred in four of the highest-grossing movies of all time. The spy thrillerTV show comes from the mind of Taylor Sheridan, who is most known for creatingYellowstoneand all its spinoffs. However, Sheridan branched out from the neo-Western drama whenSpecial Ops: Lionessdebuted in July 2023, and it was a hit for Paramount+ (despite receiving mixed reviews from critics). As a result, the platform renewed it for a second season, which premieres in October 2024.
Paramount+ changed the show’s title fromSpecial Ops: Lionessto justLionessin season 2.
The spy thriller seriesrevolves around the CIA’s Lioness program,whichSpecial Ops: Lionessbases on a real military task forcenow defunct. The CIA recruits a female operative to infiltrate terrorist organizations or other groups that are on the United States government’s radar. InSpecial Ops: Lionessseason 1, the Lioness program enlisted the help of a sergeant in the Marines to take down a terrorist, and season 2 features the team taking on a new Lioness.
Zoe Saldaña As Joe McNamara
Date Of Birth: August 03, 2025
Actress:Zoe Saldaña was born in Passaic, New Jersey, but was mostly raised in Queens, New York City. Saldaña spent some of her childhood in the Dominican Republic, where her mother was from, before returning to New York as a teenager. She got recruited by a talent agency, which helpedSaldaña land her first role in a movie—Center Stagein 2000. However,Saldaña’s career started growing in 2002 when she played Kit inCrossroads,the Britney Spears road comedy drama. Saldaña truly stepped into the spotlight in 2009 when she starred inStar TrekandAvatar.
Avatarfilm series
Neytiri
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)
Special Ops: Lioness
Joe McNamara
Character:Saldaña leads the cast ofSpecial Ops: LionessasJoe McNamara, the CIA officer in charge of the Lioness program.Joe struggles to balance her work with her personal life, as seen inSpecial Ops: Lionessseason 1, episode 4. However, she often prioritizes her job, which leads to tension between Joe, her husband, and their teen daughter.
Laysla De Oliveira As Sergeant Cruz Manuelos
Date Of Birth: June 18, 2025
Actress:Laysla De Oliveira was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and started modeling when she was a young teenager. However, De Oliveira dreamed of being an actress. So, she studied drama and dance at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts and got an agent. Over the years, De Oliveira appeared in a few movies and TV shows here and there, buther first big role was as Dodge inthe cast ofLocke & Keyon Netflix.
Cruz Manuelos
Character:Sergeant Cruz Manuelos, played by De Oliveira, isthe show’s first Lioness inSpecial Ops: Lionessseason 1.Cruz is a Marine who joins the military to escape an abusive relationship, and her talent and dedication catch Joe’s eye. The Lioness program recruits Cruz, but her mission doesn’t exactly go as smoothly as originally hoped.
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Taylor Sheridan’s star-studded series Lioness features Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, and Zoe Saldana yet still received poor reviews among critics.
Dave Annable As Neal McNamara
Date Of Birth: June 21, 2025
Actor:Dave Annable was born in Suffern, New York, but grew up in Walden, New York. After high school, Annable attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh (SUNY Plattsburgh). However, he dropped out in 2003 to pursue his acting career full-time. Annable appeared in various commercials and had guest spots on TV shows before landinghis breakout role in 2006 — Justin Walker in the cast ofBrothers & Sisterson ABC.
Neal McNamara
Character:Annable portraysNeal McNamara, Joe’s husband,inSpecial Ops: Lionesson Paramount+. Neal is a pediatric oncology surgeon, meaning that both husband and wife have stressful (often heartbreaking) jobs that put a strain on their relationship. Joe promises Neal to be around more after the season 1 finale, but she’s back in the fight in season 2.
Nicole Kidman As Kaitlyn Meade
Date Of Birth: July 03, 2025
Actress:Nicole Kidman was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Australian parents in the United States on student visas. Her family returned to Sydney, Australia just a few years after her birth, where she was predominantly raised. Kidman developed a love and talent for dance and acting when she was very young, joining the Phillip Street Theatre before dropping out of high school. In 1990,Kidman rose to prominence after starring in the sports action filmDays of Thunder.Kidman’s movie and TV careertook off, and Kidman is now one of the most acclaimed and highest-paid actresses in Hollywood.
Nicole Kidman has received five Oscar nominations over the course of her career, winning Best Actress for her performance as Virginia Woolf inThe Hoursin 2002.
The Perfect Couple
Greer Garrison Winbury
Character:Kidman stars as Kaitlyn Meade inTaylor Sheridan’s TV showSpecial Ops: Lionesson Paramount+.Meade is a high-ranking CIA official who oversees the Lioness programas Joe’s boss. She often serves as Joe’s confidant, defending her and the Lioness program to those with higher ranks.
Morgan Freeman As U.S. Secretary of State Edwin Mullins
Date Of Birth: July 15, 2025
Actor:Morgan Freeman was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but he moved frequently as a child, living in Mississippi, Indiana, and Illinois. He started acting at a young age, but when Freeman was offered a drama scholarship from Jackson State University after high school, he turned it down and enlisted in the United States Air Force. Freeman served for four years before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. In 1971, Freeman gained recognition when he appeared in the PBS children’s showThe Electric Company.Freeman went on to star in various movies, withhis breakthrough coming viaStreet Smartin 1987.
Edwin Mullins
Morgan Freeman has been nominated for five Oscars, winning Best Supporting Actor in 2005 for his performance as Eddie “Scrap Iron” Dupris inMillion Dollar Baby.
Character:Followingthe ending ofSpecial Ops: Lionessseason 1, Freeman was promoted to the main cast, meaning his character, Edwin Mullins, has a bigger role in season 2.Mullins serves in the U.S. President’s cabinet as the Secretary of State,which is why he often works with the Lioness program.
Genesis Rodriguez As Captain Josephina Carrillo
Date Of Birth: August 18, 2025
Actress:Genesis Rodriguez was born in Miami, Florida, andher acting career began with Telemundo telenovelas.Later, Rodriguez made the jump to Hollywood, where she scored a few prominent roles, including a three-episode stint inEntourageand voicing Honey Lemon inBig Hero 6. However, Rodriguez gained more attention when she joinedThe Umbrella Academyseason 3 cast.
Josephina Carrillo
Character:Rodriguez joinsthe cast ofSpecial Ops: Lionessin season 2as Captain Josephina “Josie” Carrillo. According toVariety, Josie is “a dedicated soldier with a fierce personality” and “a skilled helicopter pilot.”
Special Ops: Lioness Supporting Cast & Characters
Michael Kelly as Byron Westfield -Michael Kelly stars asByron Westfield, the CIA Deputy Director (meaning he’s Kaitlyn’s superior)inLionesson Paramount+. Kelly, who has a lot of experience with political thrillers, is most known for his role as Doug Stamper inHouse of Cardsand as Mike November inthe cast ofJack Ryanon Amazon Prime Video.
Thad Luckinbill as Kyle McManus -Thad Luckinbill’s Kyle McManus, a CIA officer, takes on a bigger role inLionessseason 2 as he joins forces with Joe. Viewers may recognize Luckinbill fromThe Young and the Restless, where he played J.T. Hellstrom for over 10 years.
Jill Wagner as Bobby -Bobby, played bySpecial Ops: Lionessexecutive producer Jill Wagner, is the leader of the Lioness program’s QRF (Quick Reaction Force) team. Wagner was previously one of the hosts of the ABC game showWipeoutand has appeared in numerous Hallmark films.
LaMonica Garrett as Tucker -LaMonica Garrett stars as Tucker, a member of the QRF team, in the Paramount+ spy thriller.Lionessisn’t the first Taylor Sheridan project Garrett has been a part of— he played Thomas inthe cast of1883, the firstYellowstonespinoff. Garrett has also starred in several notable TV shows, includingSons of Anarchy, Designated Survivor, The Last Ship,and the Arrowverse (as the Monitor/Anti-Monitor).
James Jordan as Two Cups -Two Cups, played by James Jordan, is another QRF team member inSpecial Ops: Lioness.Jordan has appeared in many Sheridan TV shows,includingYellowstoneas Steve Hendon,Mayor of Kingstownas Ed Simmons, and1883as Cookie.
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Austin Hébert as Randy -Austin Hébert’s Randy is a member of the Lioness program’s QRF team. BeforeSpecial Ops: Lioness, Hébert starred as Wade in Sheridan’s1883on Paramout+.
Jonah Wharton as Tex -Before joiningthe cast ofSpecial Ops: Lionessin season 1as Tex, another member of the QRF team, Jonah Wharton appeared in many TV series, includingNCIS: Los Angeles, Bones,andThe Rookie.
Stephanie Nur as Aaliyah Amrohi -Stephanie Nur portrays Aaliyah Amrohi, the daughter of a terrorist, in season 1 of the Paramount+ spy thriller series.Like many of herSpecial Ops: Lionesscostars, Nur appeared in1883,playing Melodi.
Hannah Love Lanier as Kate McNamara -Hannah Love Lanier stars as Kate McNamara, Joe and Neal’s teenage daughter, inLioness. Following season 1, Lanier played Charlie inthe cast of theRoad Houseremakeon Amazon.
Martin Donovan as Errol Meade -Martin Donovan’s Errol Meade is Kaitlyn’s husband and a high-ranking financial investor inSpecial Ops: Lionesson Paramount+. Viewers might recognize Donovan from films such asThe Portrait of a Lady(which also starred Nicole Kidman),The Book of Life, Insomnia, Ant-Man,orTenet.
Lioness
Cast
Special Ops: Lioness is a Paramount+ original series starring Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman. The series centers on a marine and a CIA agent who work together with the daughter of a dangerous terrorist group to destroy the organization. Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone co-creator) and Jill Wagner created the series, which was directed by Paul Cameron and Anthony Byrne.
