Most Of Apple TV Sci-Fi Show’s Cast Almost Went Naked For 98% RT Series

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Rhea Seehorn was nearly surrounded by hundreds of naked actors while making Apple TV‘s Pluribus.

Critics are loving the new series Pluribus, giving it a remarkable 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show takes place in a world where an alien virus has connected almost everyone into a single consciousness – except for those who died or the 13 people who are immune. One of those immune individuals is Carol Sturka (played by Seehorn), a romance novelist on a mission to reverse the virus and save humanity.

I was hearing about a story from the Pluribus panel at SXSW – apparently, Vince Gilligan, the creator, showrunner, and writer, actually thought about having all the members of the hive mind be completely naked! He reasoned they wouldn’t need clothes, which makes sense in their world. But then he remembered they weren’t making this for HBO, and realized asking all those extras to be nude was just… not practical. I heard Seehorn was pretty happy about that decision too, and honestly, same! It’s interesting to hear about the things they considered during the creative process.

Vince Gilligan discussed the idea of having the characters appear completely nude, but realized it wasn’t feasible for a network television show like theirs. They quickly realized it also wouldn’t be practical to ask all the background actors to appear naked.

Rhea Seehorn expressed immense relief, saying, “Oh my gosh, thank you!” She joked about how difficult it would have been to act alongside 300 nude people.

Considering how the virus operates in Pluribus and the people it controls, clothing isn’t a necessity for the collective intelligence. Its priorities are simply survival, spreading the infection, and conserving energy and resources. Requiring clothes – and the effort to maintain them – doesn’t fit with this, especially since the infected have no personal identity or sense of modesty.

However, we also have to be realistic about what’s possible for the show. As the creator explains, Apple TV+ typically avoids the level of nudity seen on shows like Game of Thrones. Filming scenes with so many naked extras for extended periods would create significant challenges. Plus, a cast largely performing nude would likely pull focus from the show’s core story and the powerful dramatic moments achieved through strong acting, writing, and visuals.

Unlike some other portrayals, the actors in Pluribus, including Zosia (Karolina Wydra), remain clothed throughout the series. This choice likely helps the audience, and especially Carol, connect with Zosia and see her as a person. It’s possible that Carol’s romantic and sexual attraction would have developed more slowly, or not at all, if Zosia had been nude from their first encounter.

I’m really excited for Pluribus season 2, and I’ve been thinking about how they portray the collective consciousness. It would be fascinating to see them explore the hive mind’s connection to clothing and style – but honestly, it doesn’t need to involve everyone stripping down to make a statement! A little subtlety could go a long way.

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2026-03-15 22:08