Jill Wagner Discusses Challenges on 'Lioness' Set Under Taylor Sheridan

<p>Actress Jill Wagner, known for her role in "Lioness," stated that series creator Taylor Sheridan provided her with only 10 minutes to relearn a tactical sequence using her non-dominant hand, a challenge she described as one that "forces you to run into the fire." Wagner shared these insights during an interview with People while preparing to film a scene for the third season of the Paramount+ series.</p><p>Wagner, 47, mentioned that while she did not find the season physically draining, it was more cerebral. She recalled a specific day when she and co-star Laysla De Oliveira faced difficulties with their entrance into a house during a scene. "Ten minutes before we roll, he comes in and says, ‘No, I think you should switch arms. Transition your weapon to your left arm,'" Wagner explained. "I was just like, ‘Hmm … okay. Help me’ … Ultimately, we worked it out, and it’s probably going to be one of my favorite moments."</p><p>De Oliveira concurred that Sheridan's demands could be daunting but also instilled confidence in the actors. She noted, "Once you go through that experience, you really leave the set thinking, ‘Wow, I can do anything!’ If you can pick that up, then you go onto another set and think, ‘Well, this one time I did everything with my left hand even though I’m right-handed. So it’s a great opportunity for us.'"</p><p>Wagner's comments reflect similar sentiments expressed by co-star Zoe Saldana, who remarked that Sheridan presents his actors with two choices when he raises the bar: to accept the challenge or to quit. Saldana stated, "Working with him is a challenge in the sense that he does raise the bar. And you have one of two choices. You either accept the challenge and make sure that you don’t f*ck up … or you quit. And I like being challenged. I really do."</p><p>Wagner, who plays Quick Reaction Force leader Bobby and serves as an executive producer on "Lioness," helped originate the idea for the series after learning about the military's real-life Lioness program from her husband, U.S. Army Major David Lemanowicz. The program deployed female U.S. Marines alongside combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan, allowing them to search and question women while respecting local cultural restrictions. The teams also worked to prevent insurgents from using women and children to smuggle weapons.</p><p>Wagner, who has appeared in various films for Hallmark Channel and Great American Family, underwent significant physical and tactical training for her role. She emphasized the importance of telling stories about women currently serving in these roles, stating, "I think it’s really important that we remind people — not just women, but men as well — that they’re over there fighting for a lot of different things for us and sacrificing. I just think it’s important to remind people and to honor that."</p>