Lee Pace

Lee Grinner Pace is an American actor known for his performances across theater, film, and television. He gained widespread attention for starring as Thranduil the Elvenking in The Hobbit film trilogy and as Joe MacMillan in the period drama series Halt and Catch Fire. His screen work also includes portraying Ronan the Accuser in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, as well as playing the galactic emperor Brother Day in the science fiction series Foundation.

Born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, on March 25, 1979, Pace is the son of a schoolteacher named Charlotte and an engineer named James. He grew up alongside a brother and a sister. During his childhood, his family lived in Saudi Arabia for several years due to his father's work in the oil industry before relocating to Houston, Texas. Pace attended Klein High School, briefly pausing his studies to act in stage productions at Houston's Alley Theatre before graduating. He subsequently trained at the Juilliard School in New York City, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Pace began his professional acting career on stage, performing in off-Broadway plays such as The Credeaux Canvas, Small Tragedy, and Guardians, earning nominations for Lucille Lortel Awards for his work in the latter two. He made his Broadway debut in 2011 in Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart. His later Broadway stage credits include Terrence McNally's Golden Age and the 2018 revival of Angels in America.

In 2003, Pace made his feature film breakthrough portraying Calpernia Addams in the drama Soldier's Girl. His performance earned him a Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor alongside a Golden Globe Award nomination. He subsequently starred in Tarsem Singh's 2006 film The Fall and appeared in features such as Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, and Steven Spielberg's historical drama Lincoln. He further expanded his profile by playing the villainous Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy, a role he later reprised in Captain Marvel.

On television, Pace first collaborated with creator Bryan Fuller on the 2004 series Wonderfalls. Fuller later cast him as the lead character, Ned, in the comedy drama series Pushing Daisies, which earned Pace a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 2008. From 2014 to 2017, he starred as Joe MacMillan in AMC's Halt and Catch Fire. Starting in 2021, Pace took on the role of Brother Day in Apple's television adaptation of Isaac Asimov's Foundation. His voice roles include narrating the horror podcast Darkest Night and voicing Grand Regent Thragg in the animated series Invincible.

Pace is married to Thom Browne executive Matthew Foley. He continues to perform across major television and film projects.