Lioness fact vs. fiction: From an ex-CIA officer's perspective

Former CIA officer Christina Hillsberg reportedly revealed that Lioness showed the real emotional pressure of how the military and intelligence work. According to People Magazine, Hillsberg explained that the focus of the combat scenes was moved away from real-life accuracy. However, the ex-CIA officer valued the way the series highlighted adaptable women and reflected certain emotional truths of the job.

Hillsberg explained that Joe McNamara's team was shown to be highly skilled in combat and espionage, but in reality, most CIA officers do not carry weapons. She mentioned that their work depends more on diplomatic skills like empathy, active listening, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.

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Lioness fact vs. fiction: Christina Hillsberg opened up about the show's combat scenes vs. real ones

The ex-CIA officer Christina Hillsberg reportedly mentioned that McNamara's Lioness unit was shown as skilled, but in reality, most CIA officers do not even carry guns. She further explained that their work depends more on diplomatic abilities, such as listening carefully, using emotional intelligence, showing empathy, and solving conflicts, than active combat. Christina Hillsberg mentioned to People,

"It really is a lot more soft skills than people realize. The pen is mightier than the sword."

Hillsberg further clarified that weapons are rarely a part of their daily routine, although CIA officers receive firearms training and practice defensive driving.

Hillsberg explained the actual use of secure systems

In Lioness Season 3 Episode 1, the CIA assigned McNamara and her team a job to capture Aleksi Yurimov from Ukraine. When they arrived there, McNamara discovered that she was the only one from her unit to take part in the mission. The unit's commander, Amber Whalen, explained that the military required her to confirm Aleksi's identity in person because they couldn't securely access the intelligence that was needed to verify him in the field.

Hillsberg stated that such a situation would never take place because in real life, both the CIA and the military use secure systems to exchange classified information. She further described it as a reckless decision to put an agency officer in danger under those circumstances.

Meanwhile, Hillsberg also acknowledged that the series accurately reflected the tension between the two organizations. She said this kind of stress is real and explained that watching these work relationships grow is one of the reasons many officers choose to marry colleagues from the agency. She finally revealed that she is married to a former CIA officer.

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