There’s no denying that Pedro Pascal has become a household name in the entertainment industry in the last decade. The Chilean actor started his career on stage, later transitioning into film and TV, where he has portrayed a plethora of stand-out characters. From his suave and badass character on Game of Thrones to his portrayal of Din Djarin in the critically acclaimed Disney+ show The Mandalorian, to his indie film work in Prospect to his blockbuster appearances, Pascal proves that his acting range is just as impressive and interesting as he is.
Pascal’s credits will only continue to grow as he is set to star in HBO’s adaptation of the award-winning Naughty Dog video game The Last of Us as fan-favorite Joel Miller, as well as star alongside Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, with the latter being set to release on April 22, 2022.
But for now, here are seven of his strongest performances:
1
Game of Thrones
Most of us were introduced to Pedro Pascal through his performance in the award-winning fantasy show Game of Thrones. Pascal played prince Oberyn Martell, aka The Red Viper, in season four of the show. His portrayal of the character immediately made him a fan favorite, as he was powerful yet sensual, and had arguably one of the most iconic deaths in the show’s history.
2
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
In 2017, Pascal starred in the highly anticipated Kingsman sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle. He played Agent Whiskey, a flirty and shady Statesman agent turned villain whose weapon of choice was a whip. As a charismatic villain, Pascal feeds into the excitement of this character’s duality and it’s clear from his performance that he truly has a lot of fun playing dubious characters that we can’t help but love.
3
Prospect
Moving onto one of his films that doesn’t get enough recognition, Pascal starred in Prospect, an indie sci-fi film in 2018. He played Ezra, a cunning yet backstabbing prospector, who will do whatever it takes to get his way. The film is an interesting survival story, as Ezra and the film’s protagonist, Cee, played by Sophie Thatcher, are forced to work together and build trust in order to find a way off-planet.
4
The Mandalorian
In 2018, Jon Favreau announced Disney+’s first Star Wars series, The Mandalorian. Described as a space western, the show premiered in 2019 and became an instant hit. In it, Pascal plays the leading role of Din Djarin, a Mandalorian bounty hunter whose world is turned upside down after he comes across a job he can’t seem to complete. Due to the character’s background, Pascal had to get creative with his voice acting and find a way to connect with the audience, as a helmet covers Din’s face for the majority of the show. The character has also become so noteworthy that he’s even appeared in the first season of The Book of Boba Fett.
5
Triple Frontier
Triple Frontier premiered on Netflix in 2019. The film follows a group of U.S. Army Delta Force soldiers who reunite to pull off a dangerous heist on a South American crime lord. In it, Pascal plays Francisco “Catfish” Morales, a former pilot with a heart of gold willing to do anything for his family and friends. The film is exactly what you’d expect it to be, however, what truly makes Pascal and the rest of the cast shine is their camaraderie and friendship. But most importantly, this film marks the first instance where Pedro and Oscar Isaac have shared the screen together, which adds another layer of excitement to the mix.
6
We Can Be Heroes
Latine legend and Spy Kids creator Robert Rodriguez dipped his toe back in the Sharkboy and Lavagirl universe to bring us into a new superhero era. He released We Can Be Heroes on Netflix in 2020, and the film followed a group of superpowered children who needed to learn to work together in order to save their parents from aliens trying to take over the world. Pascal played Marcus Moreno, one of the superhero parents who gets taken by the aliens. And while he’s not in the movie a lot, his performance was endearing and comedic, allowing him to further solidify himself as an actor with range.
7
Wonder Woman 1984
If you’ve made it this far on this list you may have noticed that there’s a pattern in the characters that Pascal gravitates towards. He likes to play charismatic villains and father figures. Wonder Woman 1984 is what happens when you combine the two. In the film, Pascal plays Maxwell Lord, a television personality turned oil tycoon turned supervillain, who sought to save himself from ruin by utilizing an ancient artifact that began destroying the world. But as much as he wants control, at the end of the day Maxwell loves his son, which is the only thing that makes him rethink his actions. Pascal masterfully brings that range to the character from his intense and power-hungry moments, all the way to the tenderness and care.