Since the start of the Paramount+ series Lioness, Hannah Love Lanier has played Kate – the daughter of lead character Joe played by Zoe Saldana, working with her further on-screen family Dave Annable as Neal and Celestina Harris as Charlie. Lioness is created by Taylor Sheridan, who Hannah was directed by for the first two episodes of Series 2, which had a recent release. Amongst Hannah’s further screen work, she plays Charlie in the Amazon Prime remake of Road House with Jake Gyllenhaal as Dalton, and she has been part of a number of commercials including Subaru and Kraft. Catching up with Hannah, she told us about being in the cast of Paramount+ series Lioness, her character Kate and filming for Road House.
In the Paramount+ series Lioness, you play the role of Kate – daughter of lead character Joe; was there anything that drew you to the series, and how would you describe the character?
Absolutely. I was drawn to the challenge of playing such a complex character. Kate is pretty
layered and while it was a bit intimidating, I was excited to take it on. She’s a teenager dealing with a lot. People might see her as rude or bratty, but she’s just a kid trying to cope with everything going on around her. I love getting to bring her emotions to life in a way that feels real.
What do you enjoy most about working alongside Zoe Saldana, Dave Annable, and Celestina Harris as your on-screen family, and what was it like meeting them for the first time?
Working with Zoe, Dave, and Celestina is incredible! Zoe is such a powerful presence in scenes. She’s also so generous, which makes it easy to connect on-screen. Dave is genuinely one of the kindest people I’ve worked with, and Celestina and I are like real sisters at this point. They’re like a second family. Since Zoe and Dave are both parents, they bring this loving energy that makes every scene feel even more real.
How do you find the experience on the set of Lioness and being part of a series created by Taylor Sheridan?
Taylor Sheridan has this intense drive that really pushes everyone to be their best on set. Taylor directed the first two episodes of Season 2, so working closely with him on set was such a privilege. He’s a brilliant storyteller. Being part of a series he created has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my career so far.
Can you tell us about this year’s Amazon Prime remake of Road House and your character Charlie?
Filming Road House was a blast. We shot in the Dominican Republic, which was a literal paradise. I play Charlie. She’s feisty and unafraid, which I love.
How was it getting into character as Charlie and filming with Jake Gyllenhaal, who starred as Dalton?
Jake was incredibly supportive and lovely. Being around someone with that level of experience is a gift and taught me so much. He was always so locked in as Dalton, which made it very easy to play off of as Charlie.
Where does your love of acting come from, and was it something you always wanted to do?
My family is one of creatives so, maybe I was born with it. My mom is an actor and we booked a couple of commercials together when I was younger. That’s where I got the bug. Having her made my entrance into the business super gentle and I’ve just been able to grow with each new role. It’s always felt very divinely led.
What are you hoping the next year brings for your career, and do you have any projects coming up that you can talk about?
I want to keep growing as an actor and exploring new genres. I also want to explore things behind the scenes like writing, producing, and directing my own projects. Right now, I’m just excited to see what other opportunities come up!
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