Foundation's Lee Pace Talks About Playing a Whole New Cleon in Season 2

Lee Pace delivers a remarkable performance in Apple TV+'s Foundation, portraying an exceptionally unique role. In the show, he technically assumes three roles, all as Cleon, the Emperor who has governed through a lineage of clones for thousands of years. However, in Foundation's second season premiere, Pace's portrayal of Cleon XVII distinguishes itself from his predecessors. This distinction arises partly due to tampering with Cleon's genetic makeup by those seeking to overthrow the Empire. With a century having passed since the inception of the Cleons, the current iteration, known as Brother Day, is acutely aware of the genetic drift. This awareness alters Day's belief system, as Pace elucidates during the Foundation Season 2 virtual press junket.

According to Pace, "He doesn't think he's a God. He knows he's a man. He is inhabiting the role of a God, this position that he's inherited." Nevertheless, Cleon XVII remains unmistakably a Cleon, allowing Pace to infuse the character with an enjoyable dose of ego. The actor expressed his delight in playing with the character, stating, "He still has a Cleon-sized ego, which is a lot of fun... There's an absurdity to it that we don't have to be serious about actually, you know? It's there for the audience to take it seriously." Pace embraced the second season with the understanding that the world of Foundation offers room for playful exploration. While the character possesses a grandiose ego, he also harbors a trembling vulnerability, aware of the dire consequences should he fail.

Lee Pace's multifaceted performance in Foundation captivates audiences as he navigates the complexities of Cleon XVII. The show invites viewers to immerse themselves in a maximalist universe, populated by oversized characters like Cleon, and encourages them to revel in the entertaining and larger-than-life aspects of the narrative. As the second season unfolds, audiences can anticipate witnessing Pace's captivating portrayal of a character caught between immense ego and a vulnerable sense of the stakes at hand.

What is Foundation Season 2 about? How to watch:

According to the official synopsis for Foundation Season 2, "More than a century after the season one finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy in Foundation season two. As the Cleons unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari, Gaal and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, promulgating the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire. The monumental adaptation of Foundation chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties, and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity."

Foundation Season 2 features the returning stars Jared Harris as Hari Seldon, Lee Pace as Brother Day, Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick, Leah Harvey as Salvor Hardin, Laura Birn as Eto Demerzel, Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn, and Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk. It also introduces new cast members to the series, including Isabella Laughland, Kulvinder Ghir, Ella-Rae Smith, Holt McCallany, Rachel House, Nimrat Kaur, Ben Daniels, and Dimitri Leonidas. David S. Goyer continues as the showrunner for Foundation.

Foundation's second season premiered on Friday, July 14th. New episodes are released on Apple TV+ on Fridays.

[Note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG actors' strike.]