Lioness Season 3 Interview: Laysla De Oliveira & Jill Wagner Tease Cruz, Bobby and the Series' Most Dangerous Mission Yet

Reel Perspectives

August 2, 2026

Taylor Sheridan's Lioness has never been a series that pulls its punches. Blending heart-pounding action and the moral complexities of modern espionage, the Paramount+ thriller has become one of television's most gripping dramas. Led by Academy Award winner Zoe Saldaña, who also serves as executive producer alongside Nicole Kidman, Lioness continues to redefine what a female-led action series can be.

Season 3 promises to be the biggest, most intense chapter yet as Joe McNamara (Saldaña) and her elite CIA operatives embark on their most dangerous mission to date. With the stakes higher than ever, enemies lurking around every corner, and the operation expanding on a global scale, fans should prepare for an explosive season filled with shocking twists, emotional sacrifices, and the kind of gripping action that has become synonymous with Sheridan's brand of storytelling.

Ahead of the highly anticipated premiere, Reel Perspectives Media sat down with Laysla De Oliveira, who returns as fan favorite operative Cruz Manuelos, and Jill Wagner, who reprises her role as the ever reliable Bobby and also serves as an executive producer on the series. Both actresses offered exciting insight into how their characters continue to evolve in a season that promises to challenge every member of the Lioness team.

Since audiences first met Cruz in Season 1, she has undergone one of the most compelling transformations in the series. Once a vulnerable Marine thrust into an impossible undercover assignment, Cruz has steadily grown into one of the CIA's most capable operatives.

According to De Oliveira, that evolution is far from over.

"That evolution continues. I think the main, the big growth experience where she goes from baby Cruz to adult Cruz is between Season 1 and 2. And as we step into Season 3, she really starts to see how her life really mirrors Joe's life as much as she would like to accept that or not."

Rather than reacting purely on instinct, Cruz has matured emotionally and professionally.

"She's also in a place where she can assess things a little better. She's not as reactive and that happens when we mature."

But perhaps the biggest surprise awaiting fans this season isn't another covert operation, it's getting to know Cruz away from the battlefield. De Oliveira revealed that viewers will finally experience a side of the character they've never seen before.

"We also get to see a lot of her personal life, which is exciting. Season 1, she does have love there, but it's undercover, and it's based on lies. And then now we are exploring life with somebody who has had a little bit closer to your life experience, so there's real moments of intimacy there that I think will be really beautiful for the audience to see."

For the actress, stepping into Cruz's personal world proved to be one of the most rewarding aspects of filming Season 3.

"It was a fun challenge for me to explore because I've never seen Cruz tell jokes before or talk at home. So we'll get to see that, which is great."

Those quieter moments promise to make the emotional stakes even higher when Cruz inevitably returns to the dangerous world of covert operations.

Bobby Remains the Team's Rock - With a Surprise Sense of Humor

If Cruz is continuing to grow into leadership, Bobby remains exactly who fans have always counted on - a steady, fearless protector who never loses sight of the mission.

When asked what audiences can expect from Bobby this season, Wagner described her character as Joe's unwavering protector.

"I think Bobbi is Joe's attack dog. Bobbi always has one eye on Joe, and that's her duty and also her country, and she's loyal to both of them."

It's that unwavering loyalty that defines Bobby.

"I think with Bobbi... what I hope people feel when they're in the presence of Bobbi is security. She's your steady-as-she-goes kind of girl, and you know what you're getting. There's no surprises. She's just steady. They're like, 'Okay, if she's here, I'm safe.' So I hope the audience takes that away from her."

Of course, no conversation about Bobby would be complete without asking if Bobby will ever smile. Wagner waived off the idea but while Bobby may not suddenly become the life of the party, Sheridan has written something unexpected for her this season.

"This season there may be situations where she doesn't get to have her eye on Joe as much as she'd like."

That shift in dynamic opens the door for something viewers likely never anticipated.

"You know what's interesting is that Taylor (Sheridan) has written a comedic spin to Bobby that I didn't see coming, and it's really cool."

Wagner admitted she was initially surprised by the change in tone.

"I was like, 'What is happening here?' I called Taylor and I was like, 'Is that supposed to be funny?' He's like, 'Just say it the way you say it, and don't think about it.' I'm like, 'Okay.' I didn't see it, and so the fact that he found comedy in Bobby, that was Taylor."

De Oliveira and Wagner continue to prove why Cruz and Bobby have become two of the series' most beloved characters. De Oliveira brings complexity to Cruz as she navigates life beyond the mission, while Wagner's commanding presence once again anchors the team.

Lioness premeires August 2 on Paramount+. Catch up on Seasons 1-2 ahead of the premeire.