| Demerzel | |
|---|---|
| Foundation character | |
_-_Foundation_(TV_series).png) Laura Birn as Demerzel in the 2021 television series | |
| First appearance |
|
| Created by | |
| Based on | Eto Demerzel / R. Daneel Olivaw (Foundation series) by Isaac Asimov |
| Portrayed by | Laura Birn |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Gynoid |
| Gender | Female presenting |
| Occupation | Majordomo |
| Affiliation | Galactic Empire |
Demerzel is a fictional character in the 2021 Apple TV+ television series Foundation, an adaptation of the Foundation series of novels by Isaac Asimov. She is portrayed by Finnish actress Laura Birn. Demerzel is a gynoid, or female-presenting humanoid robot, who serves as the majordomo to the revolving trio of Emperor Cleon clones, Brothers Dawn, Day and Dusk. In season two, it is revealed that Demerzel is the real power behind the Imperial throne, guiding humanity on a millennial scale.
The character is a gender-swapped and expanded version of Eto Demerzel, the First Minister and chief advisor to Emperor Cleon I in the prequel novels Prelude to Foundation (1988) and Forward the Foundation (1993). In Prelude to Foundation, he is revealed to be the alter ego of R. Daneel Olivaw, a sentient robot from Asimov's Robot series (1953–1985), who also appears in Foundation and Earth (1986).