Zoe Saldaña reveals behind-the-scenes details of brutal Lioness torture scene

Zoe Saldaña gave fans a glimpse behind the camera by posting two Instagram images that illustrate the making of a harrowing torture scene in Lioness episode 6, “Sugar Land.” The episode, streaming on Paramount+, disclosed that Iranian forces orchestrated the kidnapping of her character, Joe, after a bloody operation in Ukraine. The sequence shows Joe being subjected to severe abuse by an Iranian captor, a moment Saldaña called “a real challenge” to film.

She used the posts to both document the production process and lighten the mood surrounding the graphic content. With two episodes left in season 3, the storyline continues to build tension around the rescue mission. Saldaña invited viewers to share their theories about the unfolding plot.