Michael Kelly to Guest Star on Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Lioness’ (Exclusive)

The espionage drama from the ‘Yellowstone’ creator stars Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman.

Michael Kelly Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

Lioness is filling its ranks.

Michael Kelly has been recruited as a recurring guest star for Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming espionage series for Paramount+.

Lioness, which does not yet have a premiere date, is based on a real-life CIA program and follows Cruz Manuelos (Laysla 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.”

Kelly will play CIA Deputy Director Byron Westfield.

He joins the previously announced series star and executive producer Zoe Saldaña, Morgan Freeman and star and executive producer Nicole Kidman, along with Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Stephanie Nur, Hannah Love Lanier.

Saldaña will play Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives. Kidman will play Kaitlyn Meade, the CIA’s senior supervisor who has had a long career of playing the politics game and who must juggle the trappings of being a woman in the high-ranking intelligence community. Freeman will play Edwin Mullins, the U.S. Secretary of State. 

Lioness adds to Yellowstone creator Sheridan’s growing slate of Paramount+ productions, which includes 1883, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King and 1923, as well as upcoming series Bass Reeves and Land Man.

Kelly is no stranger to holding a high-level government position on screen, as the actor is best known for his four-time Emmy-nominated role as Doug Stamper, former White House chief of staff, on Netflix’s House of Cards. The character had a memorable ending on the political drama when it wrapped in 2018.

Following his run on House of Cards, Kelly co-starred in the Showtime miniseries The Comey Rule and produced and starred in John Hyams’ All Square. He currently co-stars on Amazon’s Jack Ryan alongside John Krasinski and Wendell Pierce. 

Previous credits from film and TV roles spanning 20 years include The Secret In Their Eyes, Everest, The Long Road Home and Taboo, as well as Black Mirror, The Shield, Law & Order and Third Watch, among others.

Lioness is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios. The series is executive produced by Sheridan, David C. Glasser, Saldaña, Kidman, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Jill Wagner, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Malone and John Hillcoat.