Obviously, it did not miss: during the launch of the third season of the series
The Mandalorian
, on February 28 in Los Angeles, a journalist from the
Extra
media questioned Pedro Pascal about the new nickname given to him by Internet users, " Daddy Din”, a reference to the name of his character, Din Djarin.
“Go for Daddy Din,” reacted the actor, specifying that he would still like “to return from Daddy to Baby” in the near future.
It will probably not be for now, as Pedro Pascal has become, in a few weeks, the new incarnation of the ideal father.
During the premiere of
The Last Of Us
, a series inspired by the video game of the same name in which he plays the main role, he was already having fun: “Do you know that you are nicknamed the “dad of the Internet?”, a journalist had asked him, testimonials from fans in support.
Smiling, although a bit embarrassed, Pedro Pascal had admitted, facing the camera: “Yes, I am your cool and sexy dad”.
After the figure of the MILF ("Mother I'd like to fuck" - is it useful to translate?), the Chilean-American actor therefore formalizes the figure of the DILF ("Dad I'd like to fuck"), father figure both fun and deep, able to crack Carambar jokes as well as engage in intense conversations about the meaning of life.
And to remain desirable, no matter what.
In video, the trailer for
Succession
, season 4
ideal father
This role, Pedro Pascal first took it on in
The Mandalorian
, a series from the Star Wars universe on Disney + in 2019. A bounty hunter decked out in a mask that he is forbidden to remove, he is responsible for protecting Grogu (Baby Yoda for those close to him), a small green creature halfway between the kitten (for the big imploring eyes) and the demigod (for his ability to levitate a spaceship with a raised finger).
A role of surrogate father which he also interprets in
The Last Of Us,
broadcast since January on Amazon Prime: in a world ravaged by fungi transforming the population into bloodthirsty zombies (why not), he plays Joel, a survivor who has returned from everything, responsible for protecting a rebellious teenager, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who could well end the pandemic.
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The figure of the father in spite of himself, a dirty, grumpy type who gradually bonds with a vulnerable being to the point of sacrificing his life for him, is not new.
From
Terminator II
to
The Road
via
Léon
,
Game Of Thrones
(the duo formed by Le Limier and Arya Starck) or
Stranger Things
(with Jim Hopper and Eleven), it constitutes an effective and poignant dramatic spring, even exceeding the stakes ( the apocalypse, in general) that the characters must face.
But as we rethink the notions of masculinity, parenthood and planet in peril,
The Last Of Us
and
The Mandalorian
take on an all the more current dimension.
Pedro Pascal, his shady look, his eyebrows on which the weight of the world seems to weigh, his dimple on his right cheek and his reassuring mustache, bring the exact balance of strength, sex appeal and vulnerability.
In short, a man that his flaws will make all the more solid, a modern pillar on which future generations can rest.
masked avenger
However, it took the actor to reach the (venerable, in Hollywood) age of 47 for us to finally put a name to his face.
Face which, moreover, had been abused until now.
Already, in
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
, where he made an appearance in 1999 (of which Sarah Michelle Gellar recently posted a photo on Instagram), his features were distorted in a vampire way.
Fifteen years later, in
Game of Thrones
, his whole head ended up pulverized piñata style in one of the most gory scenes of the series.
Pedro Pascal played Oberyn Martell, a noble bisexual and poisonous hero who was already sacrificing himself for children (his nephews) who were not his own.
The following year, in
Narcos
, his performance was obliterated by that of Wagner Moura, the interpreter of Pablo Escobar.
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But it is in
The Mandalorian that
Pedro Pascal has pushed invisibility even further: he never appears without his mask, the only slit of which does not even allow a glimpse of his eyes.
“It's ironic not seeing any of a character's facial expressions, because that's what connects them to the world and makes them instantly real.
There, we only see slab!”, he explained to Graham Norton in his talk show, February 22 – remarks taken up here by
Variety
.
He too, moreover, does not see anything: “We made the mask more sophisticated and comfortable, but wearing it is like going blind.
Your breath completely fogs up the narrow slit through which you can see.
There is no peripheral vision.
If there was a hole in front of me,
Luckily, Pedro Pascal was able to do the work remotely, with some scenes from The
Mandalorian
being performed by stunt doubles, with him only having to worry about his voice.
Which turns out to be almost too sexy to be honest: “People ask me to say something with the Mandalorian voice for their children.
But I find that inappropriate, because it's hoarse, deep, it's a bedroom voice.
It's pretty scary, it doesn't work in real life."
In any case, not for the little ones.
Family dramas
If Pedro Pascal finally reaches a deserved notoriety, it is after long years spent chaining supporting roles, confidential projects and theatrical performances (we saw him on Broadway in King
Lear
, by Shakespeare, in 2019).
A career as a long-distance runner led while his family went through several hardships.
José Pedro Balmaceda, his real name, was born in Santiago de Chile in 1975. His father is a doctor, recognized specialist in fertility, his mother is a psychologist.
The latter is related to Salvador Allende, whom the couple supports in his guerrilla warfare against the Pinochet dictatorship.
At the risk of his life: when young Pedro was only 9 months old, the family, suspected of having hidden dissidents in their home, fled and received political asylum in Denmark, before settling permanently in Texas, then California.
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It was there, in high school, that Pedro began taking acting lessons, before joining the prestigious Tisch School of Arts, in New York, from which Martin Scorsese, Angelina Jolie and Lady Gaga graduated.
Between two shoots, the young actor often visits his family in Chile.
This will again be marked by two dramas: in 1995, his father was accused of embezzlement (including a case of embryos implanted or removed without the consent of patients) in the specialized clinic he runs in California.
If he claims his innocence, he takes refuge in his native country with his two youngest children.
His mother, Veronica, committed suicide in 1999. It is in her honor that Pedro now uses his maiden name, Pascal.
close to his siblings,
he happened to go to premieres with the eldest, Javiera.
And her unconditional support for her younger sister, Lux, a transgender actress, has made her a recognized and appreciated spokesperson for the LGBT+ cause.
A name, a face: Pedro Pascal is finally beginning to settle in the retinas and hearts of the international public.
And intends to grow: he has just filmed with Ethan Hawke
Strange Way Of Life
, a queer western signed Pedro Almodovar, which could open the next Cannes Film Festival.
In the meantime, he continues to have fun with his status as a modern dad, as evidenced by his improbable outfit during the premiere of season 3 of The Mandalorian
:
in sweater and mustard shirt, flared pants and big glasses. mount, Pedro Pascal was more like a “cool grandaddy” than a “DILF”.
The funniest part of all this: the actor, single, has no children.
