KEY TAKEAWAYS ▶
- In Entertainment Weekly (June 2023), Bella Ramsey warned the “Daddy Pascal” trend “might have gone too far,” urging fans to respect Pascal’s craft.
- Cosmopolitan rehashes Ramsey’s plea to drop the “Daddy Pascal” label—reminding us that his talent and depth transcend a viral nickname.
- Vanity Fair’s July/August 2025 cover story, “Everyone Wants a Piece of Pedro Pascal,” charts his journey from Chilean refugee to Hollywood star, with candid reflections on loss and resilience.
- The online debate continues—between fans smitten by “Daddy Pascal” and those echoing Ramsey, insisting Pascal’s full story, advocacy, and talent deserve the spotlight.
Table of Contents
A Cover Story Years in the Making
Vanity Fair’s July/August 2025 issue features “Everyone Wants a Piece of Pedro Pascal,” an in-depth profile by Karen Valby that traces the actor’s path from a refugee childhood to middle-age stardom. At 50, Pascal commands red carpets and franchises—The Mandalorian, The Last of Us, next summer’s Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Avengers: Doomsday yet Vanity’s cover story reveals an artist still haunted by loss, buoyed by close-knit support, and driven by a relentless empathy.
From “Pepelo” to Global Icon
Born in Santiago to parents fleeing Pinochet’s Chile, Pascal grew up between cultures and languages—“middle-class comfort and tragedy,” as Valby puts it. His mother’s suicide when he was 24 plunged him into despair, but loyal friends (including Sarah Paulson) and his pit-bull mix rescue, Gretta, provided lifelines through lean New York theater days. “I had angels around me the whole time,” Pascal reflects over cocktails in a London hotel lobby, where he greets his interviewer with a bear hug instead of a handshake.
“Daddy Pascal”—A Nickname Under Scrutiny
Ever since fans started calling Pedro Pascal “Daddy” or “Zaddy” for his gray-flecked hair and protective on-screen roles, he’s leaned into the nickname with humor—telling Vanity Fair in 2022, “Daddy is a state of mind. I’m your daddy.” But beneath the playful grin lies complexity. The Last of Us co-star Bella Ramsey—who affectionately calls him “Pedge”—expressed concern in Entertainment Weekly that the label might reduce Pascal’s decades of resilience and advocacy to a single joke: “I don’t want everyone to refer to you as that and see you as that. You’re so much more.”
Entertainment Weekly reported that Ramsey’s caution first surfaced in a 2023 EW chat, where they suggested the trend “might have gone too far”—a concern repeated in Vanity Fair’s new feature. On Reddit, threads on r/entertainment debate the nickname: some defend it as affectionate shorthand; others echo Ramsey, arguing that Pascal’s public activism—calling out anti-trans rhetoric, supporting his sister Lux’s transition, and championing mental-health causes—deserves center stage over catchy fandom lingo.
The Heart Behind the Hype
Pascal describes long stretches wondering if his career was over past age 29, only to be propped up by family loans and generous friends who provided groceries, car rides, and emotional support. His sister Javiera Balmaceda recalls bailing him out with $40 when he scraped by on odd jobs; his dog Gretta walked him through midnight ATM runs in Brooklyn. Those experiences inform the raw vulnerability Pascal brings to roles like Joel Miller—“the saddest man in the world,” fans remarked after The Last of Us season 1 finale.
Advocacy as Identity
Pascal’s appeal extends beyond his roles. In Vanity Fair, he calls out J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans tweets as “atrocious,” aligning publicly with his transgender sister Lux and the broader LGBTQ+ community He discusses aging unapologetically—“Fifty felt more vulnerable,” he admits—and the responsibility of using his spot in the limelight not just to entertain, but to elevate marginalized voices.
In an age where viral nicknames can eclipse substance, Bella Ramsey’s plea and Vanity Fair’s deep dive remind us that admiration should encompass the full person. Pascal’s “Daddy” persona may be playful, but his story—etched in loss, laughter, advocacy, and triumph—demands our undivided attention.
Who is Pedro Pascal?
Pedro Pascal (born José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal on April 2, 1975, in Santiago, Chile) is a Chilean‑American actor celebrated for his depth, charisma, and advocacy. After emigrating to the U.S. as a baby, he quietly built momentum through stage work and character roles before landing his breakout as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones. Later, he gained global fame as Javier Peña in Netflix’s Narcos and as Joel in HBO’s The Last of Us, earning SAG and Golden Globe nods. At 50, he continues his ascent, starring in Variety and Marvel heavyweight roles, dubbed a mid‑life sex symbol, and redefining modern masculinity. Pascal is also deeply personal: he’s a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights (especially in support of his trans sister Lux), maintains strong family ties, and speaks candidly about grief, immigrant identity, and emotional authenticity.
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