Foundation features multiple LGBTQ+ characters whose relationships are depicted with dignity, complexity, and as integral to the narrative. These portrayals are consistently positive, avoiding stereotypes or negative framing, and contribute to an inclusive and affirming representation of queer identities within the story's expansive universe.

The show adapts several key characters, including Gaal Dornick and Salvor Hardin, who were canonically male in Isaac Asimov's original novels, as female characters. This constitutes a clear gender swap.

Major characters Gaal Dornick and Salvor Hardin, who were generally depicted or assumed as white males in Isaac Asimov's source novels, are portrayed by Black actresses in the show. This constitutes a race swap for both characters.