Ian Bohen is well-known to Taylor Sheridan fans for his role as Ryan, the Duttons’ easy-going, loyal ranch hand on Yellowstone. With Lioness, audiences are seeing a whole new side of Bohen.
The actor describes Delta Force operator Grady as “an object moving through the ether that doesn’t care about anything.” Bohen found Ryan’s “warmth” was easy to channel, as opposed to Grady’s “darkness.” “That was tricky for me to explore,” said Bohen honestly.
The stunning premiere episode of Lioness Season 3 takes viewers to a fictionalized war zone in Ukraine. “We’ve been hearing about the modern-day Ukrainian battlefield for the last several years,” said Bohen. “This is the first production to put it on TV.” Bohen was quick to point out that almost half the episode is a battle sequence in which the Delta Force team goes on a mission to capture Russian intelligence officer Aleksi Yurimov (Jack Dimich). “We spent 15 shooting days on just that segment alone,” revealed Bohen. “It takes a lot of time to orchestrate all those elements.”
Right by Bohen’s side through those harrowing three weeks was Sheridan, who plays Delta Force leader Cody Spears. “It’s a lot of fun to have the boss right next to you on set,” said Bohen. “You’re able to talk to each other and determine what’s working and what’s not within the scene.” Bohen was also quick to point out that there’s no “hierarchy” to contend with when Sheridan is in front of the camera. “He’s very much like any other actor,” said Bohen. “He wants to do well.”
Bohen spoke to Decider over Zoom to talk about the series, share the joys of reuniting with his Teen Wolf co-star Jill Wagner, and discuss Grady’s big scene in Episode 3.
DECIDER: I know you’ve been angling to join the cast of Lioness since the show first premiered. How did Taylor Sheridan pitch the role of Grady to you?
IAN BOHEN: We were still doing Yellowstone when he started to work on Lioness. I was technically meant to join Lioness one season sooner and play the same character in a little different storyline. Unfortunately, the schedules for Yellowstone and Lioness shifted in such a way that an overlap prevented me from going on both shows.
Taylor was like, “Hey man, I know we’ve been talking about this. I’m really sorry, but it won’t be this year.” So, I was like, “Shit.” [Laughs] He was like, “Listen, when it eventually happens, you’re gonna have the most fun you’ve ever had.” He always ends any pitch with “trust me.” Every single time he has asked me to trust him, I’ve said “yes.” He’s never been wrong, and I’ve always been happy. So, we’re 10 out of 10 and going to continue.
I know you got to act opposite Taylor a bit in Yellowstone, but you are in the muck with him in Lioness. What’s it like to have a leader like Taylor, both on and off screen?
It’s a lot of fun to have the boss right next to you on set. It’s nice to be able to ask questions about his vision. You’re able to talk to each other and determine what’s working and what’s not within the scene. When Taylor is in front of the camera, he’s very much just like any other actor. He wants to do well.
There’s no hierarchy or anything like that. That’s never been an issue. He wants to help the other actors and be an active participant. It feels great to have an acting partner like that. When you’re in a scene with him, you almost forget that he’s the dude, you know? [Laughs]. I have a great time working opposite Taylor. Some of the cast members get a little bit jittery, but I’ve worked with him for some time. It’s fun as hell.
Not only is Grady a Delta Force operator, but he’s also the primary K9 handler. What was it like working with those dogs during the battle zone sequence?
I got a text from my buddy Jill Wagner last August saying, “Boy, there’s something so cool you’re going to get to do this year.” I was like, “Tell me!” She was like, “No, wait till Taylor tells you.” When I read the script, I was like, “Holy crap, this is amazing.” I ended up going six to eight weeks before we started shooting to work with the dogs every day. I had to go to school because you have to be taught how to deal with the dogs. They already know how to operate.
It was such a special experience. I’ll probably never get to do it again. I felt so confident by the time I got on set. I knew we would be able to achieve those shots, which were extraordinarily difficult to put together with everything else that was happening. All of the dog owners, dog handlers, and the team that trained the other gentlemen and me were so, so proud. They deserve all the credit. I would absolutely love to work with one of the animals again.
You’re reuniting with Taylor Sheridan, but you’re also reuniting with your Teen Wolf co-star Jill Wagner. What was it like to work with her again in a very, very different genre?
When we bonded almost 15 years ago, our characters on Teen Wolf were arch-enemies. If you’re keeping score, I, as a werewolf, murdered her in that episode, so it’s 1 to 0 [laughs]. She’s still a little pissed [laughs]. As you can see from my first episode on Lioness, her character Bobby wants to shun Grady a bit.
We’re friends who talk all the time, but being back on set together is different. There’s something about walking on set and knowing you’re about to tackle an incredibly difficult scene that you’ve prepared for. You have a massive hug with all this gear, guns, and helmets on, and you just hang on to each other. You’re like, “We’ve worked so hard to make this moment happen.” I just adore her and her family. I hope we make five more seasons together.
The war zone featured in Episode 1 was one of the more harrowing sequences I’ve ever seen on television. How long did it take to shoot? What was it like to work with the advisors on set?
We’ve been hearing about the modern-day Ukrainian battlefield for the last several years. This is the first production to put it on TV in a narrative way. In our 48-minute first episode, 20 minutes or so make up the battle sequence. We spent 15 shooting days on just that segment alone. That’s three weeks’ worth of work for half of one episode, which is extraordinary. It takes a lot of time to orchestrate all those elements. You’ve got hundreds of people, drones, and explosions to coordinate. There are animals. There are safety measures to implement and maintain. It’s just a lot to deal with.
In Episode 3, we see Grady and his colleague Cody J (Matt Gerald) hold Oleksandra’s mother and sister hostage as leverage to make her talk. Was Grady prepared to torture them or worse at Kyle’s command?
I love that question because that’s something I grappled with when we were on set. I thought, “Wait, is Grady really doing this? Or is he waiting for Kyle to say, ‘Hey, cut it out.’” It’s something Matt, who plays Cody J, and I had to make a decision about because we’re a Delta Force duo. The decision that I made was… yes, we are willing to go all the way to level 10.
When they force their way into her family’s home, they are acting as CIA black ops, not conventional military. The rules of engagement are out the window, and they have to do whatever. The ends justify the means. That’s a weird decision to make as an actor because now you’re playing a guy that could be called a bad guy. I did not love that [laughs].
It’s something I had to reconcile with myself. Matt—on the other hand—had no qualms whatsoever. He’s been doing this for a couple years and knows his character inside and out. So, I decided that Grady would be good cop to his bad cop. Grady wouldn’t like it, but he would do what he was told to do to Oleksandra’s family to achieve the objective, no matter the consequences.
Ryan from Yellowstone was an easy-going guy, loving on Lainey Wilson, but Grady is a battle-tested soldier who can separate his humanity from his orders. What was the biggest challenge of getting into his mindset?
There was a warmth to Ryan that drew people in. He was inherently likable and easygoing. Taylor wrote him that way. Grady has none of those qualities. He doesn’t care if anyone likes him; he doesn’t need friends; he doesn’t want approval. He’s almost an object moving through the ether who doesn’t care about anything. That’s tricky because you’re always thinking, “How do I engage my fellow actors? How do I dance with them?”
Grady has a darkness that was tricky for me to explore. That was the biggest challenge. To have to do those kinds of things without a second thought was difficult because my instinct is to try and connect with people. I had to figure out how to disconnect from them while holding a firearm [laughs].
