Before Laysla De Oliveira was playing an action star in Special Ops: Lioness, she was playing the role of staff at Toronto’s Terroni restaurant. And while she’s come a long way since those days, the Canadian actress hasn’t forgotten the push her former boss gave her to pursue her acting dream. “I’m obsessed with Terroni,” De Oliveira told Narcity's Ashna Bharkhada during a recent sit-down interview for the series, which is out now on Paramount+ Canada.
00:00I used to work at Turley. That was my last job before I moved to LA, and I still have a note from my manager that said, follow your dreams. And I did. The first day I met her and she hugged me and said, I can't wait to work with you. I couldn't let go of the hug.
00:15So people will recognize you as Dodge from lock and key, and there's a lot of supernatural action there. But with Lioness, it gets really nitty gritty. What was it like venturing into that action hero territory?
00:28It was such a dream come true to explore something in the Taylor Sheridan world. He's such a prolific writer. He wrote Cruise. He gave her so much range. She's somebody who's so tough, but also so incredibly sensitive. And you'll find that as the show moves along, you'll see how vulnerable she is. And it was a dream exploring that and exploring that with my heroes. That was awesome.
00:55Well, of course. I mean, you're playing alongside with Zoe Saldana, one of the best actresses around right now in Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy. What was it like being on set with her?
01:07The first day I met her and she hugged me and said, I can't wait to work with you. I couldn't let go of the hug. That I just love her so much. I loved her. I've admired her my entire career. And now that we've worked together, I admire her even more.
01:23She's just so kind and generous. She just texted me and she was like, you're doing great. She's just like my biggest supporter ever. And that's not what I was, not that I didn't think she was going to be mean, but I was just like, oh, I just want to be in her shadow and soak up as much as I can.
01:40But she, you know, she helped me find my, she empowers me. And I think that's such a beautiful thing. And I, and I take that and I hold it in my heart and I hope that I can repay that one day with someone, with someone else.
01:56Did she give you any tips when you were on set?
01:57Yeah, she gave me acting to, you know, you, there are things like on the day to day that you talk or you kind of see what they're doing and, and you learn. But like I said, most of all, I was just like to really like the kindness aspect for me, which is the thing that most inspired me and just how down to earth and, and, and genuine and chill she is.
02:17Oh, that's amazing. And I mean, what a cast Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman. So I love Morgan Freeman's voice. I mean, there's so many, um, videos that I've watched and he's narrated them. What's his voice like in real life?
02:32It was wild. When I met him, he was like, you play cruise. And I was like, ah, um, and he's a jokester, which is really fun. He's a big fan of Yellowstone. So we were talking about that. And, um,
02:47it was my birthday while we were shooting and I saw him at the breakfast buffet and he's saying happy birthday to me. And I was like, not the Morgan Freeman voice.
02:56And so that is just a memory that I'll, it's a core memory.
03:01Yeah, I can, I can imagine. It's like, just say anything to me.
03:04Yeah, you can hear him speak for days for sure.
03:07You must have had some serious training going into this show. I know with lock and key, there was a lot of green screens involved. Um, what kind of training did you do for this movie?
03:17A lot of physical training, three hours a day, stunt training, weapons training, and, uh, strength training. That was obviously really important.
03:27Uh, uh, Jerry Cha, incredible human being. He was a Navy SEAL for nine years. He trained me and he was there with me the entire time, like cheering me on.
03:37And I, I feel really lucky to have had him. And he was a great source friendly military questions I had as well. Just awesome.
03:45So do you know how to hold a gun now?
03:48Yes, I do.
03:50Okay, so, I brought my face.
03:53Oh, but that's a, that's a pistol. Girl, I'm doing the M4s. Yeah.
03:58Did I bring the wrong gun? I was hoping that you could show me a couple of, you know, like, if I want to look like a badass on screen.
04:04First of all, you brought the wrong gun. Let's start there. And second of all, you gotta ask Jared. We should call Jared right now.
04:10We should FaceTime Jared.
04:11We're like, Jared, how do I hold this?
04:13You know, the smaller ones are actually, Nicole was talking to this about me because she also has a lot of experience with guns and the, the pistols, they're, they're actually can be more challenging than the big ones.
04:25Once you have the big one, like, you know how everything works. Obviously it's heavy and there's a challenge in holding that and like holding it up.
04:32But those smaller ones, cause you have to have so much more con, like control.
04:37Yeah. So you're not going to put it in your pocket next, maybe next season.
04:40It's so funny. When I was coming in, I saw a cop roll beside me and I was like, I don't know if I should be, should I be holding this?
04:48Um, okay. So you are from, I'm going to put this away actually. Uh, so you are from Toronto. Welcome home. We're in Toronto right now.
04:58What is your perfect day in Toronto look like?
05:01My perfect day in Toronto. I, you know, I was saying earlier, I'm like, I'm a low key girl, but then I also realize I'm in a sparkly suit.
05:08So maybe I'm not as low key as I think, but in terms of like everyday stuff that I like to do, I just love going to my favorite coffee shop.
05:15I love Jamie's coffee. I like French made because I usually stay around this area when I'm shooting.
05:19It's close to the studio when I've shot here in Toronto. I like going to Trinity Bellwoods.
05:24I like just having a picnic there and like sitting there all day with my friends.
05:28Um, I like going to 416 Snack Bar. That's like the usual place that I go to and just enjoying my time with friends and family.
05:35I don't really mind where we are just as long as I'm, I'm with them because I miss them so much.
05:39So when I'm back, I try to hone into that.
05:42And I did read that you love coming to Taroni when you're in.
05:45Yes, I'm, yes, I'm obsessed with Taroni. I eat at Taroni almost.
05:49I used to work at Taroni. That was my last job before I moved to LA.
05:53And I still have a note from my manager that said, follow your dreams.
05:57And I did. And the pasta because I hate this so much.
06:00And so in, in LA, yeah, we, I eat there quite a bit.
06:04And so I know that's why I would, if they asked me where to take Zoya and Nicole, I'm like Taroni,
06:08but they've probably been, everyone goes to Taroni.
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