How Pedro Pascal Went From Child Refugee to the Most Wanted Man in Hollywood
Pedro Pascal is taking over media once again with the release of The Last of Us. From tweets to TikToks to his upcoming appearance as host of SNL, fans are quick to show their affection for the heartthrob actor.Whether he’s playing a charismatic villain in Kingsmen: The Golden Circle or a scene-stealing billionaire in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Pascal manages to both charm and delight us.His heartwarming (and hilarious) interactions with fans are reason enough to love him. He even frequently reposts fan-made edits to his Instagram account. He is a celebrity who cares about his fans and takes the time to make people feel special.But his inspirational personality goes beyond his present-day interactions. The story of how he came to stardom reminds us all to chase our dreams.Pedro Pascal’s Storied Childhood@hbomax/instagram | @themandalorian/instagramBorn José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal, the award-winning actor was born in 1975 in Chile. His mother, a child psychologist, and his father, a fertility doctor, opposed the dictatorial government and became political refugees.When Pascal was only nine months old, his family fled the country. They went to Denmark before eventually settling in San Antonio, Texas.RELATED: Michael Jordan Goes Back to His Roots to Fill a Deep-Seated Need in His CommunityPascal was a film buff from a young age, often attending the movies with his father. His passion for acting grew as he watched films like Poltergeist and Indiana Jones –he even broke his arm pretending to be the adventurer.He went on to attend acting school at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1993, but upon graduation, his acting career didn’t take off the way he had hoped.Meanwhile, as Pascal struggled to land auditions, personal tragedy struck back in Chile.Pascal Credits His Success to His Late Mother @gameofthrones/InstagramIn 1999, as Pascal worked on launching his acting career in New York City, his mother tragically took her own life.Pascal credits much of his career to his mother, saying, “None of [my success] would be real if it wasn’t for her.”RELATED: Why the Actor Who Played King Joffrey DisappearedPascal’s mother was a huge supporter of his pursuit of acting. She knew he was capable of becoming the star he is today.He took her maiden name, Pascal, as his stage name to honor her - and to combat the difficulty Americans had pronouncing his given name.Pascal continued to pursue his dream, landing smaller roles in television shows before his big break as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones. His love of the wildly popular show goes back to the characters, "The fascinating thing about Game of Thrones is that none of the badasses are just badasses, and none of the wimps are just wimps. A coward will surprise you with courage, and a very powerful person will blindside you with weakness, and the most evil person is capable of the most compassionate moment."Since then, he’s continued to charm audiences both on-screen and off.Why is Pedro Pascal So Popular?@WIRED/YoutubeThere’s no denying Pascal’s talent.He’s so charismatic that he was able to charm audiences in The Mandalorian, despite his character wearing a mask for most of the series. But what makes Pascal so popular off-screen is his genuine demeanour.RELATED: Taylor Swift Makes Surprise Appearance at Nashville Club that Launched Her Career, Inspires Fans With Her HumblenessWhat his fans love the most is his humble and self-deprecating personality. He even joked about worries he would disappoint young Star Wars fans who want to meet the Mandalorian in real life.He’s also an outspoken LGBTQ+ ally, pushing for more representation in the projects he works on.His interactions with his fans are also incredibly endearing.How Fans Keep Pascal Feeling Inspired As we can see from Pascal's social media interactions, as much as he inspires his fans, they inspire him right back.He often interacts with his fans, sharing their videos and reposting their artwork. As he shared with Vanity Fair, he even has a favorite account – @pedropascalfanaccount.RELATED: Daniel Radcliffe Wants to Make Fans Happy by Surprising Them at Special Film ScreeningAlthough he deleted his Twitter in 2022, fans have excitedly documented his praise of their artwork and replies to their jokes on TikTok.From his red-carpet interviews to his Vanity Fair lie-detector test, he continues to charm (and inspire) us all.What Pedro Pascal Teaches Us About Staying True to Ourselves@pascalispunk/Instagram | @pascalispunk/Instagram Ultimately, Pascal shows us what can happen when we stay dedicated to our dreams, honor the people who believe in us from the start, and value genuine connections with the people who support us.RELATED: Nicki Minaj Hands Out 37 Scholarships, Moves Fans to Tears with Her Commitment to Changing LivesLife will always find ways to throw us off our path and break our hearts in new ways. At the end of the day all we can do is take the next best step forward.Pedro Pascal’s perseverance and dedication to his craft remind us of the value of chasing our dreams - even when they seem impossible.His genuine personality reminds us of how we can impact the world when we decide to shine as our authentic selves.KEEP READING: One of Drake’s Biggest Fans Diagnosed With Rare Disease at Age 9 – So Drake Stepped in to Put a Smile on His Face
