Pedro Pascal has long held the internet’s gaze with smoldering charm, scene-stealing performances, and that irresistible “daddy” aura fans can’t get enough of. But in a new cover story for Vanity Fair, the 50-year-old star makes one thing clear: he’s not here to be your meme, he’s here to take a stand, particularly when it comes to protecting his loved ones.
Standing Up to Rowling, Standing With His Sister
Pascal didn’t hold back when responding to J.K. Rowling’s recent post celebrating a U.K. Supreme Court ruling that limited the legal definition of “woman” to biological sex. The Harry Potter author marked the decision with a smug post of herself sipping from a drink, captioned “I love it when a plan comes together.” For Pascal, the gesture struck a nerve.
“That’s heinous loser behavior,” he commented on an Instagram post, plainly stating how harmful such rhetoric is to the trans community. Pascal’s advocacy isn’t performative, it comes from a deeply personal place. His younger sister Lux came out as transgender in 2021, and Pascal’s protectiveness over her has only sharpened in the face of rising anti-trans sentiment.
“Bullies make me fucking sick,” he said. “It’s a situation that deserves the utmost elegance so that something can actually happen.”
His sister Javiera echoed the sentiment: “He said that as the older brother to someone saying that our little sister doesn’t exist.” The internet’s daddy, it turns out, is also a fiercely loyal big brother.
Rumors, Romance, and Red Carpets
As with most public figures, Pascal hasn’t been immune to online drama. When a Comic-Con clip circulated showing him holding co-star Vanessa Kirby’s hand, critics tried spinning it as inappropriate. Kirby shut it down immediately, saying they were just nervous before walking out on stage and that the gesture was comforting, not creepy.
Pascal brushed off the kerfuffle with the same quiet confidence that’s helped him navigate Hollywood’s chaos for over two decades. That self-assurance is also evident when it comes to questions about his love life—or lack thereof.
Despite public curiosity, Pascal has never officially confirmed a relationship. “I always feel perplexed when I’m identified in the media as a ‘highly private person,’ because that’s the opposite of me,” he said. He’s open with loved ones and close friends but prefers to keep the internet out of his business. As for kids? He’s not actively planning for them but admits, “I’ve had dreams of taking my kids to the movies like my parents took me.”
View this post on Instagram
From Action Star to Romantic Lead (Even With a Sling)
Pascal has played everything from a gun-slinging protector in The Mandalorian to a gritty survivor in The Last of Us. But his latest turn in the upcoming romantic comedy Materialists pushed him out of his comfort zone in more ways than one.
When filming began, Pascal was still recovering from a dislocated shoulder after a fall down the stairs. “It was the weakest I’d ever felt,” he said. “It was such a scary, fraudulent thing to feel like I could play somebody who was the catch of Manhattan.”
Despite his self-doubt, he pulled it off with aplomb. When the interviewer told him he looked good on screen, Pascal sighed in relief: “You think I’m hot in it? Thank God!”
Aging, Acting, and Acceptance
Approaching 50 brought a wave of introspection for Pascal, who confessed to struggling with feelings of irrelevance and physical decline. An injury on the Gladiator II set and years of avoiding birthday celebrations since his mother’s passing added to the emotional weight.
So this year, he reclaimed it. Pascal threw a multiday birthday bash in London, where family and friends toasted him with martinis and a slideshow tribute from Lux brought him to tears. “When you feel seen like I did that night, you feel touched by magic,” he said.
Pascal may joke about being too old to headline a movie, but fans, and fellow stars like Robert Downey Jr., disagree. Downey called Pascal’s rise a reminder that the industry still rewards authenticity and talent: “His slow trajectory to becoming a household name who is on a wildly hot streak kind of reaffirms my faith in our industry.”
View this post on Instagram
More Than a Meme
Pedro Pascal might play reluctant heroes on screen, but in real life, he’s leading with his heart. Whether defending his sister, stepping into new film roles, or simply making space for vulnerability, Pascal is proving that depth, kindness, and conviction are far sexier than any internet nickname.
Yes, he’s still your daddy. But more importantly, he’s someone worth listening to.
