Chilean-born and American-raised, Pedro Pascal's interest in acting began at an early age. As a teenager, he studied at a performing arts high school before enrolling in NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Since then, his passion and talent for performance have led him to appear in a diverse collection of films and TV shows, ranging from dramas, to comedies, to sci-fi epics.
Pascal began working as a TV actor in the late '90s, with appearances on popular shows includingBuffy the Vampire Slayer, Touched by an Angel, and NYPD Blue. After gaining attention in the industry, he began to take on more recurring roles in such programs asThe Good Wife and Lights Out.
In 2014, Pascal made one of his most memorable as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones. From there, he continued working in TV (on hit shows including Narcos), while also branching out into film (in such movies as Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Wonder Woman 1984).
Looking ahead, 2022 appears to be another big year for Pascal. He's already appeared in Jon Favreau's The Book of Boba Fett(whichpremiered at the end of 2021 and ran through February of this year), as well as Judd Apatow's recently-released action-comedy The Bubble. Now you can see him alongside Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, playing a billionaire drug lord. After that, he's set to reprise his lead role in The Mandalorianand star in the post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us.
Here, Metacritic highlights the best movies and TV shows Pascal has acted in, ranked by Metascore.
Metascore: 87
Best for: Fans of romantic dramas
Where to watch:
,Google Play,iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 119 minutes
Based on a James Baldwin novel, If Beale Street Could Talk follows Fonny Hunt (Stephan James) and Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne), a young couple starting their life together in 1970s Harlem. One day, Hunt is arrested for assaulting a woman named Victoria Rogers (Emily Rios) — a crime that he did not commit. Hunt's friends and family work tirelessly to clear his name, meeting with Rogers and her friend Pietro Alvarez (Pascal) to understand why she falsely identified Hunt as her attacker. After its 2018 release, the film was nominated for three Oscars, with Regina King winning Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Rivers' mother.
"It's easily one of the best of the year." — Vince Mancini, Uproxx
Metascore: 86
Best for: Fans of fantasy dramas
Where to watch:
,Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes, Vudu
Seasons: 8
HBO's Game of Thrones, a TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel series, revolves on several high-profile families' quests to gain power and take over the Iron Throne. Over its eight seasons, the show highlights the conflicts between these families, as well as their battles with mythical enemies.Pascal appears in seven episodes of the show's fourth season, playing Oberyn Martell (also known as the "Red Viper), a skilled fighter and passionate lover. The award-winning show was the most-viewed HBO series since at least 2004 (when Nielsen changed the way that it measures the channel's viewership).
"The storytelling by executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and their writing staff is increasingly assured and judicious; the first-rate cast continues to mine the full depth of the material; and the show itself is visually commanding."— Maureen Ryan, The Huffington Post
Metascore: 85
Best for: Fans of fantasy and supernatural shows
Where to watch:
Created by Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer features Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, a high-schooler who inherits special vampire-killing powers. The show follows Summers and her close-knit friend group, including Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) and Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), as they navigate the supernatural world and their burgeoning adulthood. In the first episode of season four (titled "The Freshman"), Pascal appears as Eddie, a college classmate of Summers' who is captured by vampires. The series, which was based on the 1992 movie of the same name, has been ranked as the number-two teen TV show of all time by Entertainment Weekly.
"Buffy is the best show of the year about kids in high school, with the most refreshingly original dialogue and pop cultural references." — Marvin Kitman, Newsday
Metascore: 83
Best for: Fans of cop dramas
Where to watch:
,
, iTunes,
Seasons: 12
NYPD Blue, which debuted in 1993,tells the stories of the New York Police Department's fictional 15th Precinct. The show portrays the personal and professional lives of the detectives who work at the precinct, as well as the criminals and victims that they deal with each day. In the ninth episode of season eight ("Oh Golly Goth"), Pascal plays Shane "Dio" Morrissey, a stabbing suspect who comes into the 15th Precinct for questioning. Over the course of its twelve-season run, NYPD Blue won 20 Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series.
"Strikingly shot, wonderfully cast, this tough, taut, atmospheric show is the season's best new series." — David Hiltbrand, People
Metascore: 81
Best for: Fans of legal dramas
Where to watch:
,Google Play, iTunes, Paramount+, Vudu
Seasons: 7
In The Good Wife, Julianna Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, the wife of a disgraced politician who resumes her career as an attorney after her husband (Chris Noth) goes to jail for a corruption scandal. Pascal has a recurring role in the show's first and second seasons, appearing as Nathan Landry, an attorney determined to keep Florrick's husband in prison. After debuting in 2009, The Good Wife won several Primetime Emmys and Screen Actors Guild Awards, with Margulies receiving widespread praise for her performance. The spin-off series The Good Fight was released in 2017, with the sixth season scheduled to premiere this summer.
"A show that's every bit the equal of the best of cable." — Matt Roush, TV Guide Magazine
Metascore: 81
Best for: Fans of dramatic crime thrillers
Where to watch:
,
, Google Play,
, iTunes,
, Vudu
Seasons: 8
Homeland is a Showtime drama series about Carrie Mathison (Clare Danes), one of the nation's top CIA agents, and Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a former U.S. Marine who was held as a prisoner of war for eight years. While most of the country views Brody as the ultimate American hero, Carrie believes that he may be working as an undercover agent for al-Qaida. Once that mystery is solved, though, there is plenty more political crises for her and her handler, Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin), to take on. In the show's third-season premiere (titled "Tin Man Is Down"), Pascal plays Senator David Portillo, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The eight-season show won numerous accolades, including two Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmys for Dane and a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series.
"Given the extravagances of the plot and the characters, that it feels plausibly seated in the real world is a testament to everyone involved in its production." — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times
Metascore: 79
Best for: Fans of sports dramas
Where to watch:
,
, iTunes
Seasons: 1
Lights Out is the story of Patrick "Lights" Leary (Holt McCallany), a retired heavyweight boxing champion in New Jersey. After his career ends, Leary struggles to adjust to a slower-paced life while also dealing with neurological problems caused by his profession. Desperate to find a way to take care of his family, Leary begins working as a debt collector — until he has an opportunity to reclaim his success in the ring. Pascal appears in four episodes of Lights Out's only season, taking on the role of Omar "The Armenian Avenger" Assarian, an up-and-coming boxer who trains at Leary's gym.
"Beneath the grit, this is a tale of chivalry." — Tom Gliatto, People
Metascore: 77
Best for: Fans of high-intensity crime dramas
Where to watch: Netflix
Seasons: 3
Narcos, a Netflix original series, revolves on the life and crimes of notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura). The show traces his rise through the ranks of the Colombian drug trade — and the ruthless tactics he employed on the way. Eventually, the DEA sends two agents, Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) and Javier Peña (Pascal), to take him down. Pascal appears in every episode of the three-season series and also served as the narrator of Narcos' final season. The show was nominated for BAFTA Awards, Golden Globes, and Primetime Emmys, and launched a spin-off (Narcos: Mexico) in 2018.
"Catching Escobar then becomes an exciting and suspenseful story arc, and makes Narcos the first cool show of the new season." — Robert Rorke, New York Post
Metascore: 75
Best for: Fans of medical dramedies and addiction stories
Where to watch:
Seasons: 7
Equal parts comedy and drama, Nurse Jackie is a Showtime series starring Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton, an ER nurse in New York. It showcases her professional challenges dealing with patients and colleagues in the healthcare system, as well as her personal struggles with prescription drugs. Pascal makes one appearance in the show's second season (in the episode titled "Twitter"), playing a concerned father who brings his son into the hospital. By the end of its seven-season run, Nurse Jackie won five Primetime Emmys and received several BAFTA and SAG Award nominations.
"In its mix of the caustic and the compassionate, Jackie is as electrifying as its star." — Matt Roush, TV Guide Magazine
Metascore: 75
Best for: Fans of crime and police dramas
Where to watch:
,Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes,
Seasons: 7
Set in New York, Without a Trace is a CBS drama series that revolves around the FBI's Missing Persons Unit. The team is led by Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia), whose affair with fellow agent Sam Spade (Poppy Montgomery) has upended his personal life. The show follows Jack, Sam, and their colleagues as they work together to solve missing persons cases and reunite victims with their families. Pascal has a minor role in "Candy," the second episode of the show's fifth season. Without a Trace, which aired from 2002 to 2009,won two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe.
"A show that does what it's supposed to do — keep you riveted and entertained." — Tim Goodman, San Francisco Chronicle
