As Tucker on Lioness, LaMonica Garrett leaves quite an impression. A veteran of the Taylor Sheridan universe, Garrett is thrilled that his character on Paramount+’s espionage drama continues to evolve. “Tucker has slowly been unlayering over the course of three seasons,” said Garrett. “Season 3 is the first time you’ve seen Tucker laugh out loud with teeth and have some fun. That didn’t happen before.” The QRF team always seems to find moments of levity to get through their grueling job, but this season, their mission might be their most serious one yet.

“This season feels different because it’s all happening at home,” said Garrett. After Joe McNamara (Zoe Saldaña) gets abducted from her home, the QRF team springs into action. “They are taking it personally because it happened on their watch,” explained Garrett. “There’s a guilt that each one of them carries. Their sole mission in life right now is to get her back.” Even after their initial rescue missions fail, Tucker and the QRF team continue to work tirelessly to save their leader and guard the state secrets she possesses.

Garrett could see the toll that the intensity of Season 3 has taken on Saldaña. “You’d see her on set after filming one of those torture scenes, and she needed a minute,” said Garrett. “A lot of her scenes were very taxing on her this go-round.” Garrett also pointed out that the fans are feeling the pressure of this season. “It’s personal for everybody.” Garrett revealed that he likes to go into the comment section and interact with the audience. “I always get a big reaction,” said Garrett with a laugh. “They’re like, ‘Wait, that’s Tucker. What are you doing here, man? Get off of social media and go find our girl!’”

Garrett spoke to Decider over Zoom to discuss the new season, talk about Tucker’s growth, reflect on 1883 almost 5 years later, and more.

DECIDER: With the jumping back and forth in time and Joe’s abduction, the stakes this season of Lioness feel especially high. Did it feel different on set?

LAMONICA GARRETT: Each season has its own fingerprint. This season did take a certain toll on us and on Zoe. You’d see her on set or at the craft service table after filming one of those torture scenes, and she needed a minute. A lot of her scenes were very taxing on her this go-round. We also filmed at a new studio this year where multiple sequences were being shot at once. The QRF team would be filming an action sequence—and we’re a real playful bunch—while at the same time someone else would be filming an interrogation scene. When the QRF team gets together, we can be obnoxious and act like children [laughs]. It’s our nature! We could hear the yelling and the chaos when those other sequences were being filmed. So, it did feel a bit different than in years past.

Did you and Taylor Sheridan have any initial conversations about how Tucker came to the QRF team?

No, Taylor and I never really talked about Tucker’s backstory. I came up with some questions, and we played around with it. I asked: “Is Tucker his last name or is that his first name?” That was something we figured out together. Taylor did tell me that Tucker is a MARSOC Marine like Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira). They have that in common.

Other than that, Taylor left it pretty much up to me to come up with whatever makes Tucker tick. Tucker has slowly been unlayering over the course of three seasons. Season 3 is the first time you’ve seen Tucker laugh out loud with teeth and have some fun. That didn’t happen before. This is the longest I’ve worked on any series. We’re gonna keep finding out more about Tucker and the rest of the QRF here and there as we continue.

I have to know: Did you guys see Austin Hébert without his beard before you filmed the scene where Randy has to shave to go undercover?

We did not! That was a genuine guttural reaction. We were like, “Who is this dude? And where’d your facial hair go?” We knew he was gonna shave it, but seeing him without it was crazy. They wanted to us to see him without his beard for the first time together on-camera. I don’t know which take they used—I think it was the first—but our reaction was completely genuine.

You have a couple of great moments with Zoe Saldaña in this week’s episode. What’s Tucker’s relationship with Joe? Is that something you and Zoe have ever discussed?

In the backstory I’ve created for Tucker, he has a unique relationship with Joe. However, that’s something I’m going to keep to myself. When Joe gets abducted, there is one scene in which Tucker admits he’s ready to kill anybody and everybody to get Joe back. Tucker feels like he let Joe get taken. It happened right on her front doorstep. Maybe this season feels different because it’s all happening at home. The QRF team’s leader got abducted, and they are taking it personally because it happened on their watch. Each one of them carries guilt. Their sole mission in life right now is to get her back.

It’s very intense for these characters, and it’s very intense for the audience. It’s funny. I’ll go on social media, and I’ll see people ask things like, “Who’s the mole?” I like to interact with fans. I’ll put a set of eyeballs in the comment section, and I always get a big reaction. They’re like: “Wait, that’s Tucker. What are you doing here, man? Get off of social media and go find our girl!” [Laughs] So, it’s personal for everybody.

Tucker actually questions Joe about the reasoning behind their picking up the professor from his lecture, which is behavior from him we haven’t really seen before. Was he doubting the mission? Or was he just curious?

Tucker has his own personality and his own thoughts. At this point, he’s thinking there are bigger fish to fry right now. He thinks the professor is a small fish. However, Joe sees 10 steps ahead of everybody. She knows what’s around the corner. She understands that you have to pick up guys like the professor to ultimately get the real bad guys. Joe navigates her missions very precisely. Tucker is more of a blunt instrument kind of guy who wants to get to the source of the problem immediately. He doesn’t like playing the long game.

I can’t believe it’s been almost 5 years since 1883. How do you look back on that experience?

1883 set the tone for me about what a hard job acting can be I couldn’t get through filming a season of Lioness without the experience I gained on 1883. Lioness is difficult, but in a different way than 1883. It’s 110 degrees sometimes. We’re jumping out of Humvees. We have gear on. We’re carrying weapons. It’s physically taxing. In 1883, we were either filming in 110-degree heat in Fort Worth, Texas, or we were filming in -10 degree cold in Montana. It was miserable.

Filming 1883 was the hardest job I’ve had, but it was also the most gratifying job I’ve ever had. I’ve never been prouder of anything I’ve done. People still come up to me and talk to me about Thomas. My character really affected people. The show also started me in the Taylor Sheridan world. If you ask Taylor, Taylor will tell you that 1883 is one of his favorites among the mountain of projects he’s done. It’s one of the ones that he holds closest to his heart.