‘Special Ops: Lioness’ Star Laysla De Oliveira On Playing CIA Recruit Taylor Sheridan: ‘It Hurts Physically And It Hurts Emotionally’

By Taylor Sheridan Special Operations: Leeuwin At Paramount+, Laysla De Oliveira shocks and amazes as Cruz Manuelos, a military recruit who flees the mean streets to work undercover in the CIA’s war on terror.

Here, the Ontario-born newcomer opens up about how painful it was – literally and figuratively – in the drama, which also stars Zoë Saldaña (Joe), Nicole Kidman (Kaitlyn Meade) and Dave Annable (Joe’s husband Neal). with the spoon passed. , Michael Kelly (Bryon Westfield) and Morgan Freeman (Edwin Mullins).

“Finally I can talk about it because it was a bit torturous because I couldn’t shout it from the rooftops,” says De Olivera, referring to how the drama fell out during the actors’ strike, which prevented her from the series to speak. to talk . “It’s such a dream job.”

DEADLINE How did you find this role?

LAYSLA DE OLIVEIRA I received a call from Taylor saying he wanted to meet me. This was at the height of Covid. I had to fly to Montana where they were filming Yellowstone. I played the entire first episode for him on set while he was directing an episode. It was really exciting. When I finished, I went home and thought, “Oh my God, this has completely changed my life.” I was just so excited to be there and be eligible. It was such a win for me. Two weeks later I found out I got the part, but then I had to keep it a secret for about a year and a half to two years before we started filming. I wanted to tell everyone that I was working with Nicole Kidman, Zoë Saldana and Morgan Freeman. It was absolute torture.

DEADLINE Where did the production take place?

THE OLIVEIRA We were in Baltimore most of September to December and then went to Mallorca and Morocco. We really lost control because the first episode takes place in Morocco. We ended up shooting the scene where Cruz meets Aaliyah (Stephanie Nur) for the first time last. It was actually the one last scene we filmed together. We were all over the map. But it was really great for my character because I feel like she’s on the edge mentally as well.

DEADLINE Your character seems to hate Joe almost all the time. I guess she can’t really be compassionate because she needs Cruz to stay tough, right?

THE OLIVEIRA Yes. She needs to know if Cruz can do it, and Cruz is such an interesting character because she’s physically very strong, but actually she’s a pretty fragile, emotional person, and that’s why that second episode happened. [with the torture]. They are just trying to break them. Joe would rather know Cruz can’t do that than send her away and lose another asset like she did at the beginning of the show. Joe is in a very difficult position. I think people think she’s very cold, but that’s part of her job and she doesn’t spend time at home with her kids. In a way, she has to guide Cruz and spend all her time with Cruz, and Cruz doesn’t have parents.

DEADLINE So you’re the lioness in this situation, right?

THE OLIVEIRA: Cruz is now the lioness. Joe was the lioness, but now she is the leader of the lioness team.

DEADLINE Your character is a real fighter. How long did the preparation take?

THE OLIVEIRA About a month before I left for filming, and then maybe three weeks before we started filming. Of course, when we started filming the schedule was so intense that I couldn’t train as much as I would have liked, but in the month I was here in LA it was five to six days a week and half an hour . And when I was on set before we started filming, it was three hours a day, an hour of strength training, an hour of weapons training and learning the choreography, because these fight scenes are actually almost like a dance.

DEADLINE Was it physically painful to play your character?

THE OLIVEIRA It hurt physically, but also emotionally. The physical aspect totally scared me. I wasn’t used to doing so much physical activity so everything was new to me and I learned so much through the strength training and stunt process. My very first day was running away from my boyfriend so I ran for 14 hours straight. And then I want to say that on the third day we started with the torture scene. In the end, I really appreciated that it happened in the first week because that was the week I had the most energy and adrenaline. I thought it would be a good way for me to prove myself because people didn’t really know who I was. I was definitely the new kid on the block. I mean, my first scene with Zoe was the one where she made me cry. She comes in and I see that she is the one tormenting me. It’s this constant theme in the show. After my first take, Zoë gave my shoulder a little squeeze and said, “10 out of 10.” It was truly a wonderful experience. But the waterboarding? It was difficult. There’s only so much you can fake. Of course they don’t water me. They put a mouthpiece on me and I have to bite. But water still runs up your mouth and up your nose, and you can only do it about three times. The emotional part was also hard, and I think sometimes it gets harder to let it go once the show is over.

DEADLINE You talk about the romantic relationship your character develops with Aaliyah, whose father is a terrorist you must kill. Did you know this romantic arc was coming when you booked the role?

THE OLIVEIRA NO! At this point, only two episodes had been written. Taylor writes based on the people he casts, and that’s why I think he writes so brilliantly. He said I should kill her father and that she was the only friend I ever had. So I knew it would be something deep. It’s such a tragic love story.

DEADLINE Do you think we’ll ever see Aaliyah again?

THE OLIVEIRA I have no idea. I really feel like this story could go in so many directions. What do you do when you kill someone’s father? It’s such a beautiful love. But it is also a tragic love story.

DEADLINE We’re left with Cruz wanting to stop the whole damn thing.

THE OLIVEIRA Yes, technically she quit. So I guess we’ll see where it goes. I don’t know if she can stay away forever. These are questions from Taylor Sheridan. I wish I could open his mind and get all the answers.