You see him everywhere these days – on magazine covers, starring in hit shows, and leading buzzy new films, like Materialists, Fantastic Four and Eddington.

At 50, Pedro Pascal is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors. 

His ascent to superstardom may seem sudden, but Pedro Pascal’s journey has been anything but. 

Pedro Pascal’s love for his craft, support of his community and his persistence has made him what he is today. 

For anyone feeling discouraged or losing faith in their dreams, Pedro Pascal’s story offers a powerful lesson in resilience.

His Origin Story

After graduating from New York University, he spent “a really brutal year” waiting tables and not getting acting jobs. 

He constantly contemplated a career change.

His 20s would be what he calls his “give up” years.

In his 30s, he felt immense pressure, believing that “Past 29 without a career meant that it was over, definitely”. 

He faced immense rejection, recalling countless auditions where he came close but the part went to someone else. He admits he “died so many deaths,” constantly readjusting his expectations for his career, even considering it “too late to develop other skills” at one point. 

His Emotional Support Group 

Pedro credits the “angels around him” – his friends, family, and even his beloved dog for ensuring he never truly gave up on acting. 

His oldest sister, Javiera Balmaceda, was a fierce advocate. When Pedro would suggest changing careers, she’d firmly tell him, “‘No, no, no, no! You’re too good!’” and declared, “The one thing we’d never allow Pedro to do was give up”.

Friends and family provided essential financial and emotional support. His friends would buy him groceries, and Javiera would give him money to make it through the week. Sarah Paulson, his college friend, let him use her sister’s car and even gave him her per diem money from her performing jobs. Pascal remembers, “Basically, everybody took care of me, well into my 30s”.

His late pit bull mix, Gretta, offered crucial emotional companionship. He credits Gretta with saving his life because “she gave me someone to go home to” during his depressing times, excitedly greeting him at the door. 

He deeply grieved her loss before his big break in Game of Thrones, remembering how poor he was when he had her and wishing she could experience his current “bougie life”.

Delusional Self-Determination (His Words)

Despite the constant rejections, he maintained a belief that he would eventually make it, a kind of inherent drive coupled with the fact that he had “no real skill at anything else”.

This strong network and his own internal drive ensured that even when he felt like giving up, he was always “cheered on” and found “just a little something to keep [him] going”.

Honour your Calling

Some people don’t recognize or acknowledge their gifts because they occur so naturally for them that it doesn’t feel special.

Your gifts or skills don’t have to be “electricity-inventor” worthy. It just has to be yours and recognized by you. 

Pedro Pascal loved movies with a passion as a young child. He was then exposed to theatre at formative age that encouraged him to pursue an acting degree.

He worked on his craft and focused on the love of acting over commercial success. That allowed him to be a more versatile actor, have a wider emotional range, all of these helped build his acting resume. 

Today, Pascal’s success is seen as a reaffirmation of faith in the industry, proving that “real talent and a genuine connection with his audience” can lead to lasting recognition.

He values his relationships more than fame, stating that his current success is “more than what I wanted” and that “relationships and having good relationships is more important to me than everything that’s been going on”.

Pedro Pascal’s story is a powerful reminder that dreams don’t always follow a linear path. 

There will be hard times, moments of doubt, and perhaps even despair. 

But with an unwavering passion for your craft, a supportive community, and the courage to keep putting one foot in front of the other, your dream can not only stay alive but flourish in ways you never imagined.

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