Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña may spend their days navigating dangerous missions and high-stakes intelligence operations on Lioness, but before the cameras start rolling, the costars have a much more relaxed routine.
After three seasons working together on the Paramount+ thriller, the actresses and executive producers have developed a sweet morning ritual that gives them a few minutes to leave work behind and simply catch up as friends.
© Mike Marsland“After catching up personally every morning for like five or 10 minutes, then immediately we get into hair and makeup and we are discussing the scenes,” Saldaña told People.
Those first few minutes are reserved for their lives away from the CIA drama, giving the two stars a chance to connect personally before their attention turns toward the demanding material ahead.
© Steve GranitzFrom friendship to business:
Once Kidman and Saldaña enter hair and makeup, however, the mood changes. Their conversations quickly turn to the scenes they're preparing to film that day, as well as sequences coming up that might require a little more attention.
© Mike MarslandThe routine has become particularly useful on a series as technically demanding as Lioness. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the espionage thriller frequently puts its stars in the middle of complicated military and intelligence scenarios, complete with specialized terminology.
And when neither actress can figure something out, they have another strategy. “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 explained.
© Mike MarslandThe pair have even revealed that they send Sheridan voice memos from the makeup trailer when they need clarification, turning their morning prep into something of an unofficial strategy session before filming begins.
A friendship that goes beyond the set:
Their easy dynamic isn't entirely new. Kidman and Saldaña previously revealed that sharing a makeup trailer during the show's early days helped them become close remarkably quickly.
“Sitting next to each other every morning, you get to know each other very well very quickly,” Kidman told People in 2023, while Saldaña described their connection at the time as “love at first sight.”
© Dave BenettThree seasons later, that friendship has only grown stronger. “I just love her,” Kidman recently said of Saldaña. “She’s just so fun, and she’s so generous, and a girl’s girl.”
For Saldaña, their connection is rooted not only in her admiration for Kidman as an actress, but also in the many roles she sees her friend balancing away from Hollywood.
© Gilbert Flores“Nicole, I admire her,” she said. “She’s an incredibly talented woman, but what she is first and foremost, what I love the most, is she’s a mother. She’s a daughter. She’s a sister. She’s a friend.”
Saldaña added that working alongside Kidman has been a “true joy,” praising the Oscar winner for approaching those different parts of her life with love and support.
Kidman's response perfectly captured their affectionate dynamic. “I love that. So here we are. It’s a love fest.”
