No pants, no problem for Matthew Fox

In the hit TV series Lost, Jack Sheppard is the no-nonsense doctor/castaway who tends to the sick and comforts the desperate after a jet crashes on a remote Pacific island.

But off the screen, hunky actor Matthew Fox organises skinny-dipping parties with his sexy co-stars.

"He's a total nudist," Evangeline Lilly, who plays mysterious brunette Kate Austin, told Today in a recent interview.

"He has a really bad habit of taking his clothes off and skinny-dipping in front of the whole cast," she said. "I was there the very first time it happened. I was like, 'woo-hoo'. He was like, 'come on.' All of us were like, 'No. You're on your own in this one, man.'

"And off he went into the water, butt-naked."

To this, Fox defended himself with a big, cheeky grin: "There's a method behind the madness. Trust me."

With Lost showing on MediaCorp TV Channel 5 tonight, the actor joined co-star Lilly to discuss why he loves to let it all hang out.

What's with the skinny-dipping?

Fox: I like to take my clothes off. What can I say? You know, we're in Hawaii. I mean, I've always been somebody who enjoys warm-water conditions and instigating other people to skinny-dip. I think it's fun and an experience in trust and bonding.

Lilly: To give him credit, he started out as a Lone Ranger. Over time, he has actually had some converts — people have opened up and trusted him enough to strip down. And now, most of the cast get naked and go swimming together.

How would you compare the success of Lost to that of Party of Five, which catapulted you to fame?

Fox: I have been really lucky in my career. But it's never entirely about luck. I've been pretty picky about the things that I've chosen to get involved with.

The first experience with Party of Five was amazing. It did a lot for me as an actor. But I was also new to the business at that time. I just didn't really know how to deal with the fame. After Party of Five, I felt it was important to put the character and that story behind me and let people forget about it. Only then could I get myself to do different roles.

Are you now comfortable with the fame?

Fox: I'm enjoying it completely. I'm having more fun in the business and at work than I've ever had. And it's very surprising to me how Lost has shot to fame so quickly. I'm just loving it.