Foundation Star Jared Harris Has Appeared In Two Of The Best Sci-Fi Shows Ever

Prime Video's "Foundation" has rapidly established itself as the greatest Isaac Asimov adaptation out there. David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman's ambitious series boasts a large and ever-expanding ensemble cast, but Jared Harris' mathematician and psychohistorian Hari Sheldon remains a key player in the show's complex events. 

Harris, of course, is one of the acting greats of our time. The two-time Emmy nominee has shined in projects that range from "Chernobyl" and "Mad Men" to "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows." However, casual sci-fi fans might not realize that he also has ironclad credentials when it comes to genre fare. In fact, before "Foundation," Harris appeared in no less than two of the finest science fiction shows out there: "Fringe" and "The Expanse." (Perhaps not entirely coincidentally, the latter series has found its way on /Film's list of the 15 best sci-fi shows like "Foundation.") 

In news that will shock no one who's familiar with Harris' work, he can play pretty intense characters — and both "Fringe" and "The Expanse" benefit from this side of the actor's repertoire, albeit in very different ways. His "Fringe" character is cult leader David Robert Jones, who acts as a major antagonist for the show's first season and later returns during an alternate timeline arc of season 4. On "The Expanse," he plays Anderson Dawes, a complex, scarred working-class Belter freedom fighter-slash-terrorist who's not afraid to get his hands extremely dirty for the good of his people, making for an entertainingly uneasy ally to pretty much anyone he ends up joining forces with. Both Jones and Dawes rank among the most memorable figures on their respective shows. Complete with the extremely different Hari Sheldon, they also give sci-fi aficionados a sample platter of Harris' different sides.

When you look at the courteous but chilling David Robert Jones, the intense and bombastic Anderson Dawes, and the multifaceted Hari Sheldon (not to mention all of his other roles), it's easy to be impressed by Jared Harris' sheer versatility as a performer. Various casting directors have taken note, too. In fact, when HBO's terrifying and relevant "Chernobyl" came out in 2019, Harris revealed in an interview with The Guardian that he has become something of a replacement act to none other than Daniel Day-Lewis:

"He was supposed to do the part in 'Chernobyl.' Thank God he retired! He was offered Moriarty in 'Sherlock Holmes,' too. They said, 'I hope you won't be upset.' I said, 'No, that's pretty good company to keep.' Everything gets offered to him first. Everything! Hehehe! I was really lucky he decided to retire."

As one of television's current MVP's, Harris has certainly managed to shine in the roles that he's played, to a point that it's difficult to imagine anyone else — perhaps even Day-Lewis himself — doing a better job in the specific tasks he's undertaken. Harris has found interesting angles to his roles, too, too. For instance, Hari Sheldon originally reminded him of HAL 9000 from "2001: A Space Odyssey" based on the way the character was initially written.  

"Foundation" is streaming on Apple TV.