The challenge of diving back into a high-stakes espionage drama can feel overwhelming, but having a close friend to share the experience makes it easier. In a recent conversation with PEOPLE, Zoe Saldaña discussed how her friendship with Nicole Kidman played a crucial role in returning for Lioness, which debuted on Sunday, October 27. Both actresses serve as executive producers on the Paramount+ series, working alongside names like Taylor Sheridan from Yellowstone.
Collaborating with familiar faces makes the process smoother, according to Saldaña. “I feel like it gets easier to collaborate with people that you’re familiar with, and we do have a beautiful friendship — it’s genuine,” she stated.
Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman reunite for Paramount+ series Lioness, premiering on October 27
At 46, Saldaña and 57-year-old Kidman noted their shared traits, saying, “We’re both Geminis!” However, their bond extends beyond astrology; both actresses are fiercely dedicated to their families.
Saldaña is a mother to three sons—Cy, 9, Bowie, 9, and Zen, 7—whom she shares with husband Marco Perego. Meanwhile, Kidman has four children with husband Keith Urban and ex-husband Tom Cruise, including Bella Kidman Cruise, 31, Connor Cruise, 29, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, 16, and Faith Margaret Kidman Urban, 13.
A shared passion for their craft also unites them. “The one thing that I admire so much about Nicole is that she’s very passionate about what she does. She loves what she does,” Saldaña shared.
“So there’s a level of preparation that she brings to the table, that repurposes you if you’re working alongside her. And I get to work with someone that I’ve truly respected and admired for such a long time. And now, I get to tell my friends like, ‘I’m friends with Nicole!'”
For her part, Kidman emphasized their collaborative approach. “We’ll go, ‘What about this and what did you think of that? And should we do this?’” she remarked, adding, “We work together. So, it really is about a team. And we’re able to go in together as a united front, which is so good.”
In July 2023, Kidman previously shared with PEOPLE that working on Lioness is both challenging and rewarding. “There’s an enormous amount of action in this show,” she mentioned at the time. “We both had to work really hard, because they would share this fantastic dialogue, and you want to deliver on that. But it’s also very physical and demanding. It’s a rollercoaster ride.”
Despite the challenges that arise during filming, Saldaña highlighted the strong sense of camaraderie and generosity among the cast, especially now that the series has entered its second season.
“If we were doing those heavy scenes with the rest of the cast, they would all jump in and run lines with us to help us lock in a cadence, so that by the time we’re ready for camera, we were just like extensions of each other,” she explained. “That kind of camaraderie, you can only be so lucky to have on set.”
