Pedro Pascal Just Doesn't Miss
Everyone's favorite actor is on a dominant streak right now...
Is there anyone enjoying a better run in the entertainment industry than Pedro Pascal right now?
I’m writing this after watching the gripping, sensational and truly brilliant finale of The Last Of Us.
Wow. Just wow. The entire series was just breathtaking and the creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, did a stellar job of bringing the hugely popular video game to life.
In-fact, they created a brand new blueprint for how to adapt video games into hugely-successful TV shows.
Having played the critically acclaimed and much-loved The Last Of Us on PlayStation, I was sceptical to say the least about the idea of an absolute classic being turned into a made-for-TV series. The risks seemed too high. It was either going to be a euphoric triumph, or it was going to fall on its ass.
Thankfully, we were treated to the former.
From the spine-tingling suspense laced throughout the series, to those excellent but utterly terrifying pre-credit scenes in Episodes 1 & 2 that hinted at the devastation and terror that would follow, The Last Of Us was an absolute home run and it is one of the best TV shows I’ve watched in a long, long time.
I lived for Sundays in order to have the absolute crap scared out of me, and I just wish Season 2 was already here. It isn’t an overstatement, in my humble opinion at least, to state that The Last Of Us has become an instant masterpiece. It was that freaking good.
Oh, and by the way, the braintrust behind turning TLOU hit a grand slam when it came to bringing the infected to life. Arguably the biggest concern of those who lovingly spent hours and hours on the game was how the infected would look in a live-action series, and whether they would induce the same terror as they did on the game. Well, those worries were for nothing. The Runners were so brilliantly done, the Clickers sent the God of fear into anyone who watched - I mean, that sound still horrifies me - and, while his appearance was short, The Bloater absolutely stole the show in terms of his epic entrance and the way in which he can brutally dismantle humans. Watching the Infected come to life was one of the best and most enjoyable parts of the show.
But, what really helped push the TV version of The Last Of Us over the top was the astounding performance of Pedro Pascal as Joel, the main lead alongside Bella Ramsey, who did an equally magnificent job of portraying the fierce Ellie. Bella was a perfect choice to bring alive the spirit and soul of Ellie, and Bella and Pedro made for an iconic duo.
The chemistry between the two was palpable throughout Season 1, and it will be compelling to watch that chemistry grow in Season 2 given what we know is coming.
However, back to Pedro Pascal and he really was the ideal choice to play Joel, who is a tough, gritty and hardened survivor tasked with taking and protecting a young girl who represents the last hope of humanity across America.
Pedro played Joel to perfection and he did an outstanding job of going from a closed-off fighter who will kill in order to survive, to eventually opening up and warming up to Ellie with the two forging an unbreakable bond.
That intricate journey was beautifully done and Pedro’s delivery of the now iconic “It’s okay baby girl, I’ve got you,” line in Episode 8 was just utter perfection. Then, even better was the way in which Pedro pulled off the incredible hospital scene in which he ruthlessly mowed down the Fireflies in the gripping finale of Season 1, completing the transformation of a cold, broken man with no hope to a guy who suddenly had everything, and someone, to fight for again.
I truly believe that there are very few people out there who could have so delicately carried out the stunning journey of Joel than Pedro. He was born for that role.
Of course, it can be said that Pedro was made to play the role of fierce protector full stop. Before he was saving Ellie in The Last Of Us, Pedro really began to attract new levels of fame thanks to his lead role in The Mandalorian. While his face could not be seen for much of the series, Pedro earned rave reviews for playing the cold-blooded, ruthless bounty hunter who was absolutely melted by Grogu, the lovable toddler that stole all of our hearts.
Being a die-hard Star Wars fan myself, I can attest to the fact that Pedro has played a major in helping to save the storied franchise. After all, in the wake of the wreckage left behind by the awful ‘The Last Jedi,’ Disney’s version of Star Wars was hanging by a thread.
It needed a savior.
Step forward Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Pedro Pascal, who combined to deliver Star Wars fans the series they had long dreamt of. The Mandalorian ticked every single box and the unexpected introduction of Grogu was a really, really nice surprise and it also served as the spark that helped make The Mandalorian just a monster hit.
Din Djarin, as our lovable gunslinger is known, is an absolute badass who goes about his work with a swagger that just oozes cool. Pascal brought that to life, and he just plays the role of protective, caring father with a badass attitude like no other.
Pedro is so damn charismatic that he was able to make fans fall in love with both a character who wore a helmet for an entire season, and another character who killed people in the most gruesome of ways.
That speaks to Pedro’s insane range as an actor.
He’s in a class of his own.
And, to star in two absolute blockbuster hits at the same time puts Pedro Pascal in some really rarified air.
He truly is the man of the moment and more success will only follow. Especially when you consider that both The Last Of Us and The Mandalorian are far from done yet.
But, of course, Pedro has been dominating the entertainment landscape for quite some time now. Way before he earned the leads in his latest successes.
His first big break came in 2014 after being case in the role of Oberyn Martell in the monster hit, Game of Thrones. Pascal rose to prominence thanks to that role, and no doubt thanks in large part to THAT gruesome death.
Pascal excelled in Narcos as Javier Peña, a role that really showcased his versatility. He was sensational in that series and it led to big roles in both Wonder Woman 1984 and We Can Be Heroes.
With roles lined up in some highly anticipated projects, Pedro Pascal really is on a run for the ages right now. He’s a true master of his craft, he’s at the very peak of his powers and he’s entrenched himself as one of the coolest, most versatile and most beloved actors in the industry.
Put simply; everything he touches turns to gold and we’ve reached the point where any project Pascal is in is going to be a home run.
He just doesn’t miss and Pedro Pascal is my favorite actor to watch right now.
