Pedro Pascal is a man of many hats: actor, brother, activist, and, of course, a “zaddy.” Born on April 2, 1975, in Santiago, Chile, as José Pedro Balmaceda, the actor began using his mother’s surname after her death. This was to commemorate her life, as well as to make it easier for Americans to pronounce; Pascal is easier to pronounce than Balmaceda.
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In his early career in the ’90s, Pascal appeared in several television series, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, NYPD Blue, Without a Trace, and Law & Order. As we previously reported, Pascal struggled financially during that time. It was the actor’s residual check from his role on Buffy that he was able to pay his rent and not quit acting. “We’re talking about being able to see a doctor, getting sick, getting a surgery, paying my rent when I had less than $7 in my account.” The Buffy residual is what “showed up and saved the day” and is the only reason Pascal was able to continue pursuing his acting career.
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By 2014, Pascal had his big break on Game of Thrones. He portrayed the character Oberyn Martell in the fourth season of the HBO critically acclaimed television series. Pascal’s short-lived performance as the passionate Red Viper of Dorne garnered significant praise from both critics and audiences. Pascal stated that he was a huge fan of the show before being cast as Oberyn and was ecstatic to join. He received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for his role in GOT.
The following year, Pascal struck gold again in another series. Starring in the popular Netflix crime drama series Narcos, Pascal portrayed real-life DEA agent Javier Peña as well as the narrator. Then, being cast in massive TV shows like The Mandalorian and The Last of Us solidified Daddy Pascal’s place among the A-list.
Take a look below at all the glorious ways Pedro Pascal is a zaddy:
