You may remember a show called The Last of Us. It wasn’t that big of a deal, really, it only amassed a huge following and created a sizable fanbase for the main character, Joel Miller, played by none other than Pedro Pascal. The Chilean-American actor has only recently become famous within the past decade after appearing in Wonder Woman 1984, The Last of Us, Narcos, The Mandalorian, and Game of Thrones.
The star rose to fame by guest-starring on another hit HBO show, Game of Thrones. His character as Oberyn Martell changed the game for his career and opened up many opportunities for the young star, such as his role as Javier Peña in the Netflix original series, Narcos. His role truly showcased his raw talent on screen and continued to capture the attention of filmmakers. Pascal in recent years has shown a wide range of complex roles he has taken on and has especially delivered his wide range of acting abilities to audiences.
“I think he’s a really good actor and in all of the different movies that he has been in, he has done an amazing job. He’s one of the best actors in the whole business,” Junior Taylor Layman said. “[I think he has become popular] because of his new show The Last of Us […] it’s been a very popular show since it came out and it got the attention of both video game players and people who wanted to find a new TV show to watch.”
Up until recently, his career has been in the spotlight on social media and fans could not be more pleased. But why exactly is he so liked? The main reason Pascal has become so beloved is due to his versatility as an actor.
Audiences concur that Pascal has an undeniably charming personality. Up until recently, his career has been in the spotlight on social media and fans could not be more pleased. But why exactly is he so liked? The main reason Pascal has become so beloved is due to his versatility as an actor.
Throughout his career, Pascal has appeared in a wide variety of genres and has played starkly contrasting characters that maintain an essence of protective nature.
In the Mandalorian, Pascal plays a bounty hunter from the planet Mandalore named Din Djarin. Djarin rescued Grogu, affectionately known as Baby Yoda, and fathered him despite his orders of returning the child. Similarly, in Wonder Woman 1984, Maxwell Lord, possesses a devious nature as the main antagonist, wanting to gain unlimited power and control through granting wishes. However, Pascal revealed an empathetic side while playing the role of Maxwell who is a father to his son Alistair. Likewise, in The Last of Us, it is disclosed to the audience that Joel Miller’s daughter died, causing him to grow into an isolated and bitter man. Yet, when he meets Ellie, who is around the age of his deceased daughter, he is assigned to protect her while traveling due to Ellie’s immunity to the disease that has ravished the post-apocalyptic United States escape in hopes of a cure.
In each of these television programs, Pascal has displayed the role of a guardian in a way that allows his acting to seem refreshing and non-repetitive, despite the recurring themes. Pascal is a unique actor that can be cast as a rugged and strong-willed character, while appealing to audiences ranging from young teens to adults.
When an actor is able to alter the way in which similar traits are expressed contrarily depending on their role, as Pascal does, it isn’t much of a surprise to see that he has a huge fanbase. Pascal also is adored by social media users due to the popularity of different edits and interviews with him, which display his personality which highlights his sense of humor and down-to-earth disposition. His hilarious interviews, as well as being open and honest about himself, have truly made the media love him and want to see more of him on screen.
While Pascal is an incredibly talented actor, he is also a very stylish man as well. His outfits for movie premieres, red carpet events, and even the Met Gala, are always the talk of the town. While his style is classy, his style is also unique and doesn’t stick to the basic confinements of men’s fashion we see time and time again. Outfits range from colorful suits to long and classy coats, and even fun, flowy blouses, his style is completely different from what we usually see celebrities in.
“I think it’s really expressive [his fashion choice at the Met Gala] and it’s definitely showing how men can wear different types of clothing and he’s really expressing femininity in men’s clothing and to show it doesn’t always have to be manly,” Senior Cadey Oleck said.
Although Pascal has taken a bit of a back seat in the media, he does have several upcoming projects including Gladiator 2 and Minecraft. Time and time again the media chooses a new figure to obsess over for a period of time. For a more current example of this phenomenon, social media has been completely flooded with Josh Hutcherson edits since the release of the Five Nights at Freddy’s and his most iconic role as Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games.
Even though Pascal may not be the main centerpiece of the media for now, he is still dearly loved and adored by followers of pop culture.
