Morgan Freeman has joined the cast of Taylor Sheridan’s highly anticipated “Lioness” at Paramount+, TheWrap has confirmed.
The “Driving Miss Daisy” Oscar winner signed on alongside previously announced stars and executive producer Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña. Laysla De Oliveira also stars. Per a release from Paramount, Freeman will play Edwin Mullins, the United States Secretary of State, on the latest project from “Yellowstone” creator and Oscar nominee Sheridan.
“Lioness” is based on a real-life CIA program and, per an official logline, “follows Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira), a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine recruited to join the CIA’s Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Saldaña will play Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives.”
Kidman, meanwhile, will reportedly play Kaitlyn Meade, the CIA’s senior supervisor who “has had a long career of playing the politics game.”
As TheWrap previously reported, Sheridan didn’t come on as showrunner for “Lioness,” a series that he created as part of his acclaimed and growing slate at Paramount+. He had previously tapped Thomas Brady (a veteran of “Hell on Wheels,” “Colony” and “NOS4A2”) to run the show, and while Brady was present throughout the writers’ room, he stepped back from showrunning duties once the series moved along in production. The decision was reportedly amicable.
Also among Sheridan’s Paramount+ projects are “1883,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King” and “1923.” He is also gearing up for two more series, “Bass Reeves” and “Land Man.”
“Lioness” also stars series regulars Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Stephanie Nur and Hannah Love Lanier. Alongside executive producers Sheridan, Kidman and Saldaña are EPs David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Malone and John Hillcoat.
