Zoe Saldaña Pushes Lioness Finale Toward Family Twist

Zoe Saldaña revealed that she pushed for a major family storyline in the Lioness Season 3 finale, where Joe McNamara returns home after a kidnapping and finds her husband Neal and children have left.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Saldaña supported the decision because she believed Neal needed to protect their children after the danger surrounding Joe's work reached their home.

Saldaña said she repeatedly discussed the storyline with showrunner Taylor Sheridan while he was writing the season and disagreed with his view of Joe and Neal's relationship.

"I just kept calling Taylor as he was writing this season and sharing with him, 'I don't know why he would stay ... If violence and threats approach the door of our home because of what my partner does, I would have to put my children first and leave.' Taylor and I would have these little micro-disagreements about it.

He believes in their love and that their love can withhold and survive everything. And that may very well be the case. I am grateful to Taylor that he gave Neal the f***ing strength to leave her in order for him to make a point," said Zoe Saldaña, actress.

The Season 3 finale of Lioness showed Joe returning after her rescue from an abduction, only to discover a For Sale sign and learn Neal had departed with their children Kate and Charlie.

Saldaña also discussed what she hopes could happen to Joe and Neal if Paramount+ renews the series for another season. The show had not received a Season 4 announcement at the time of the interview.

"I'm selfish, and if we are able to come back and do a Season 4, I wouldn't want their story to just have ended like that. Because these are two people who really found each other. I feel that Joe and Neal are like doves, they mate for life," said Zoe Saldaña, actress.

The future of Neal and the children remains unclear if Lioness returns for Season 4, while the series continues to await a renewal decision from Paramount+.