Pedro Pascal Biography
Pedro Pascal is a Chilean-American actor who rose to prominence in 2014 as Oberyn Martell on HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones. The role launched him to stardom, with subsequent roles in TV shows Narcos and The Mandalorian, as well as films such as Wonder Woman 1984.
His lead role in HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us earned him a historic Primetime Emmy nomination. The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal is best known for his roles in Game of Thrones, Narcos, and The Mandalorian.
Quick Facts
- Full Name: José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal
- Date of Birth: April 2, 1975
- Place of Birth: Santiago, Chile
- Astrological Sign: Aries
Pedro Parents and Sister
Pascal’s father, José Balmaceda, was one of the doctors at the University of California, Irvine’s fertility clinic, who were accused of taking eggs and embryos from unknowing patients, some of which were implanted in other women, in 1995. In addition, the doctors were accused of underreporting cash payments. Pascal has long maintained that his father committed no wrongdoing.
José avoided prosecution when he returned to Chile in September 1995, accompanied by his wife and Pascal’s two younger siblings. Verónica Pascal, Pascal’s mother, committed suicide in 1999. Pascal’s father agreed to plead guilty to tax evasion in 2021. (It was not illegal to steal human tissue at the time of the alleged egg and embryo thefts.)
Pascal has been supportive of his younger sister Lux, who came out as transgender in 2021. Lux, an actor and transgender activist, was described by Pedro as “one of the most powerful people and personalities.”
Movies: ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ and More
Pascal had his first movie roles while his TV career was taking off thanks to Game of Thrones and Narcos, including Bloodsucking Bastards (2015), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), and Triple Frontier (2019).
Wonder Woman 1984, released in 2020, was his first major film. Along with Gal Gadot as the titular superhero, he played the villain Maxwell Lord. Pascal’s character, a charismatic but corrupt businessman who gains supernatural powers after stealing a mysterious artifact, was inspired in part by real-life figures such as Donald Trump and Bernie Madoff, according to director Patty Jenkins.
Pascal was also cast in the action comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022), starring Nicolas Cage as a fictionalized version of himself. Pascal, who plays Cage’s billionaire super-fan, was a longtime fan of the real-life Cage and was thrilled to join the cast.
Damon will appear in the comedy film Drive-Away Dolls, directed by Ethan Coen, this fall. It tells the story of two friends on a road trip (played by Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan) who find themselves in possession of a stolen briefcase that was lost by several criminals, one of whom will be played by Pascal. Drive-Away Dolls will be released in theaters on September 22.
