Pedro Pascal Biography
Pedro Pascal is an American actor of Chilean origin. While he had a following among niche audiences before, it was his role as Oberyn Martell in "Game of Thrones" that made viewers see him in a whole new light and got directors adding him to their "promising actors" lists. TV fans also know Pascal from his role as a drug enforcement agent in the crime series "Narcos." But it was his starring roles in "The Mandalorian" and "The Last of Us" that brought him worldwide fame.
Early Years
José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal was born in Chile's capital city of Santiago on April 2, 1975. His mother, Verónica Pascal Ureta, was a child psychologist, while his father, José Balmaceda Riera, was a fertility doctor. The family already had a three-year-old daughter, Javiera.Since the couple was involved in the opposition movement against Pinochet's dictatorship, the family found themselves in danger and fled the country.
Initially, they moved to Denmark, then eventually settled permanently in the United States. Pascal's childhood was spent in Texas and California.My parents were very young when my sister and I were born. I wouldn't say they were revolutionaries in the full sense of the word, but they were young, liberal college students.
Pedro's first serious passion during his school years turned out to be swimming. The boy competed in local competitions and was listed among promising young athletes. However, his interest in theater eventually overtook his love of sports – as soon as the future actor got into drama club, he stopped training at the pool.
In 2000, right in the middle of this difficult period, his mother took her own life. In honor of his mother's memory, Pedro decided to make her surname part of his name, changing from Balmaceda to Pascal.
After his mother's death, Pedro got a dog – a mixed breed named Gretta. In a 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, Pascal said about her:
She saved my life because thanks to Gretta, I had someone to come home to. I think about how poor I was when I had Gretta. I think about the time when I was working double shifts and couldn't find anyone to walk her, and we lived in this shitty apartment in Red Hook, and I think about the luxurious life she would have lived with me now compared to that time, and I grieve, I really grieve.
Acting Career
Pedro started on television with episodic appearances in series. One of those shows was "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1999) starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. Initially, he used the names Pedro Balmaceda and Alexander Pascal for filming.
Among the series where Pedro appeared for more than one episode, the standouts include: "The Good Wife" (2009), "Graceland" (2013), and "The Mentalist" (2014).
Returning from China, Pedro joined the cast of "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" (2017) – the sequel to the successful multi-genre spy project. He was joined by Taron Egerton, Julianne Moore, Colin Firth, and other renowned actors.
In late June 2018, the actor found himself on the invitation list to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which was planning to expand its membership by more than 900 people. Among others invited were Mindy Kaling, Timothée Chalamet, Amy Schumer, Kal Penn, and others.
Additionally, in 2023 the actor worked on Pedro Almodóvar's western Strange Way of Life, where he reunited with Ethan Hawke on set.
In February 2023, he hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Coldplay. In April, he joined the cast of Ethan Coen's Drive-Away Dolls, and Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In July 2023, Pascal made history as the first Latino to receive three Primetime Emmy nominations simultaneously.
In January 2024, he appeared in Strange Darling, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. In June, musician Omar Apollo released his second studio album "God Said No," and Pascal contributed to the track "Pedro," recording a monologue about his broken heart.
Pascal also played a supporting role in Celine Sciamma's I Saw the TV Glow and landed the role of Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).
Pedro Pascal's Personal Life
Pedro Pascal keeps his personal life extremely private. He's not married and, as far as anyone knows, doesn't have a confirmed girlfriend right now. If there's a lucky lady out there, she's doing an excellent job staying out of the spotlight.For a while, the press linked him romantically to Lena Headey, his "Game of Thrones" co-star, even suggesting he might be the father of her second child. Turns out they're just close friends – nothing more.Pascal explained his stance on privacy: I'm always puzzled when I'm called 'very private' in any form of media, because that's the complete opposite of me. I'm very open in my private life. I just know that personal relationships are complicated enough without scrutiny.
Pedro spends lots of time with his nephews and currently lives in New York City.
In a June 2025 Vanity Fair interview, the 50-year-old actor opened up about whether he wants to become a father. Pascal admitted that parenthood was never his burning desire. But if he does have kids someday, he wants to take them to the theater just like his parents took him when he was young.
Pascal is a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and defended his sister Lux Pascal when she came out as transgender. In April 2025, Pascal criticized author J.K. Rowling for her stance on transgender women.
Pedro Pascal Now
His career kept soaring in 2025. In "The Last of Us" season two, which returned in April 2025, Pascal's character was killed off right at the start of the season. Still, he landed another Emmy nomination.
Source:
imdb.com
