Zoe Saldaña Reveals Why She Almost Turned Down Her Role in 'Special Ops: Lioness' (Exclusive)

etonline.com:

Zoe Saldaña is looking back at the opportunity presented to her by starring in  creator Taylor Sheridan's new Paramount+ drama,  — and how she almost missed out.Saldaña spoke with ET at the premiere of the new series at the Tate Britain in London, England, on Tuesday — where she walked the red carpet alongside co-star Nicole Kidman — and she opened up about joining onto the series after finishing her work on the and franchises.«It feels great being here, feels wonderful knowing that two or three years ago I was whispering to myself just how disheartened I was, because I had reached a peak in my life where I wanted to challenge myself,» she explained. «I wanted to see what was out there beyond these amazing franchises, that have granted me so many opportunities but have also taken so much of my time.»"[I felt] I can be, I don't know, challenging myself a little more, and then Taylor called in the middle of the pandemic and presented me this opportunity," she continued. «So it almost felt like I had wished it so hard internally, you know, that the universe heard it.»Despite how hard she wanted it, Saldaña admitted that, at first, she was hesitant to sign on when asked.«I did what every insecure actor does: I ran away,» Saldaña explained. «I said no.

I self-sabotaged for a year.»«And then, after I finished a series called I sent him a text and he immediately responded and in a very nice way he was like, 'I told you, silly, we were waiting on you,'» she recalled.