Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña have found the ultimate survival strategy in the Lioness set.
The team work involved hunting down creator Taylor Sheridan whenever the script gets too complicated.
The longtime costars revealed they have developed a routine after three seasons together: catch up over coffee, head to hair and makeup, then “tag team” Sheridan if a scene leaves them scratching their heads.
“We tag team finding out where Taylor is and seeing if he’s going to call us back because, when we need him, it’s always having to do with the work,” Saldaña shared.
The actress said their off-camera friendship makes the demanding spy drama much easier to navigate.
“It’s wonderful because I respect her so much,” Saldaña said of Kidman. “Nicole… I admire her… what I love the most, is she’s a mother. She’s a daughter. She’s a sister. She’s a friend.”
“And she plays all of those roles beautifully… everything about working with Nicole has been true joy.”
Kidman was just as quick to return the compliment.
“I just love her,” the Oscar winner said. “She’s just so fun, and she’s so generous, and a girl’s girl.”
The pair admit Sheridan’s military-heavy scripts often feel like homework. Kidman has previously compared preparing for the series to “like suddenly doing a thesis in the CIA,” while Saldaña says working with the Yellowstone creator always raises the stakes.
“So working with him is a challenge… You either accept the challenge and make sure that you don’t f–k up… or you quit.”
Luckily, Saldaña says Sheridan is more collaborative than many expect.
“When he knows that you care… he meets you where you’re at. He’s very collaborative.”
