Naman Shrestha
The Taylor Sheridan creation, Paramount+’s ‘Special Ops: Lioness,’ is a spy action thriller series that revolves around the station chief of the CIA’s Lioness program, Joe, who tries to balance her personal and professional life while training, managing, and leading her female undercover operatives. When she comes across a rough-around-the-edges yet passionate and young Marine named Cruz, she enlists her to work undercover alongside her among the power brokers of state terrorism.
Featuring compelling onscreen performances from a talented ensemble cast comprising Zoe Saldana, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly, Morgan Freeman, and Nicole Kidman, the series takes us on a globe-trotting adventure along with the two protagonists as they progress through their undercover project in each episode. The drastic transition from one location to another is bound to make the viewers ask questions regarding the filming sites of ‘Special Ops: Lioness.’
Special Ops: Lioness Filming Locations
‘Special Ops: Lioness’ is filmed in Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, Spain, and France, specifically in Baltimore, Severn, Frederick, Sussex County, Mallorca, and Paris. As per reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the thriller series commenced in September 2022 under the working title ‘Lioness’ and wrapped up in November 2022. Now, without further ado, let’s traverse through all the specific locations that make an appearance in the Paramount+ series!
Baltimore, Maryland
A major chunk of ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ is lensed in Baltimore, Maryland’s most populous city. The production team sets up camp at a number of neighborhoods and streets across the city to tape different sequences, interiors as well as exteriors, against suitable backdrops. So, it is highly possible that you may or may not spot some popular landmarks and buildings in a few scenes of the show, including the Emerson Tower, the National Aquarium, Baltimore City Hall, and the Lafayette Monument.
Other Locations in Maryland
For shooting some additional portions of the first season of ‘Special Ops: Lioness,’ the production unit even traveled to other locations across Maryland. For instance, the census-designated place of Severn in Maryland’s Anne Arundel County is one of the filming sites that feature in the thriller series. Furthermore, the county seat of the eponymous county, Frederick, is a city that is well-known for the clustered spires skyline of its historic downtown churches, something you might be able to notice during the course of the show.
Washington DC
Washington DC is another location that serves as the filming site of ‘Special Ops: Lioness.’ During the course of the production of several pivotal sequences of the inaugural iteration, the cast and crew members spent a significant amount of time in the capital of America. To be specific, in October 2022, many members were spotted recording a few important portions for season 1 around the Willard InterContinental Hotel at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest. Moreover, it is reported that the areas around the White House feature in the show as well.
Other Locations in the US
For shooting purposes, the production team also traveled to other locations across the country, including Texas. In December 2022, some key scenes for ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ season 1 were lensed in the town of Van Horn, a town in Texas’ Culberson County. Furthermore, Sussex County in the state of Delaware serves as another prominent production location for the series as in late September 2022, the cast and crew were spotted taping scenes in and around Herring Point at Cape Henlopen State Park on Dune Road in the city of Lewes.
Mallorca, Spain
Additional portions of ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ are also recorded in Mallorca, which is the largest island of Spain’s Balearic Islands. Several terrains of Mallorca or Majorca were turned into filming sites in January 2023 for a significant amount of time to shoot scenes for the inaugural iteration of the series. Over the years, the island has been featured in numerous film projects, including ‘Never Let Go,’ ‘Vendetta,’ ‘Tarragona: Paradise on Fire,’ and ‘White Lines.’
Paris, France
Popularly known as the City of Love, Paris also serves as one of the filming sites of the action thriller series. Apart from the Eiffel Tower, the scenes set and shot in Paris also feature other local landmarks and monuments. Some of the notable ones are Notre-Dame de Paris, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the Palais Garnier.
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