keeping pace

WATCH: Lee Pace gets completely naked for sweaty fight scene in sci-fi series

By · 7 comments · Updated on January 26, 2024
Lee Pace is shirtless and bathed in yellow light in 'Foundation'
Image Credit: ‘Foundation,’ AppleTV+

Someone on the AppleTV+ marketing team deserves a massive raise.

This Friday, the streamer drops the second season of its sci-fi series, Foundation, an epic saga about the adventures of “a band of exiles” who break all the rules in order to save the Galactic Empire—and humanity itself—from destruction.

To be frank, Foundation‘s heady, complex take on hard science fiction (it’s based on books from Isaac Asimov) isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And while it does boast internet boyfriend Lee Pace as its marquee star, there aren’t a lot of other big names involved in the cast. It’s not the easiest sell!

All of that is to say: AppleTV+ knew it’d have to go all out if they wanted folks to tune in for the second season of this (surely expensive!) show…

And they did just that by sharing an early clip, which is a two-minute long action sequence which features—no joke—a sweaty and completely naked Pace fighting for his life against robotic assassins.

See for yourself:

Like, who is the (presumably) gay genius who dreamed this sequence up? Who had to break the news to Pace, and was he initially hesitant to do a nude set piece, or was he all in? (Our bet’s on the latter, considering his body is in peak shape and is just screaming to be captured on camera.)

Related:

Lee Pace is the Renaissance daddy that we all want & need

We’re proud of Pace for being one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors, a true Renaissance man, and himself.

In the series, he plays Brother Day, a series of genetic clones who rules that Galactic Empire—shown here warding off an assassination attempt. It’s a surprisingly visceral sequence, and Pace is fully committed, only further highlighting how odd it is that he isn’t already considered one of the biggest action stars on the planet.

Anyway, the whole thing had us immediately curious to learn more, and we weren’t the only ones. Here’s what Gay Twitter™ had to say once the Foundation clip hit the social platform:

Per that first tweet, Foundation is “very dedicated” to getting Pace naked, so we can only imagine that means there’s plenty more where this came form. And, really, if you have Pace in your television show, don’t waste your time and money putting him in wardrobe!

If you’re thinking about tuning in for the season two premiere, AppleTV+ offered up the following synopsis of what’s to come, but—fair warning!—it might not clear a whole lot up:

“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.”

Um… what?

Moderately more helpful is this explainer video, which succinctly recaps the events of the first season—and sets up what’s to come—quite nicely. (Plus, shirtless lee Pace makes another appearance of two):

Season two of The Sweaty, Naked Lee Pace Show Foundation begins streaming Friday, July 14, exclusively on AppleTV+.

Related:

Lee Pace spent his 44th birthday is his birthday suit—and we’re still celebrating

The actor’s husband, Matthew Foley, also shared an adorable photo to mark the special day.

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