Pedro Pascal Champions Social Justice in a PR-Driven Hollywood

Celebrity has become the world of PR companies, and content is made to be consumed. Actors keep themselves to themselves because they know the speed at which their words can be taken out of context or misrepresented. They worry. We worry. It’s a new era of Hollywood. Journalists no longer get extended chats with A-list stars in swanky hotel rooms — TikTok influencer interviews and bite-sized media content are taking over.

When public figures have a chance to speak, it’s so often on a proprietary network or a platform with so many restraints that it’s a wonder anybody is comfortable saying anything at all.

Pedro Pascal is not one of those people. The 50-year-old actor is not afraid to vocalise, nor keep the focus on himself for too long. Pascal may have landed a leading role in Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but the Chilean-American will remain outspoken about the topics he cares about. A casual glance at his Instagram profile, where he has 11 million followers, will lead you to posts on more than just The Last of Us and The Mandalorian.

Amidst promotional photos and Marvel posters, Pascal has posted about the food blockades in Gaza. He regularly posts wearing “Protect The Dolls” shirts (a nod to the LGBTQ+ community) and encourages people to support organisations like Doctors Without Borders or The Trevor Project. Pascal was in London for the press tour for The Fantastic Four and spoke with Sky News about the experience and keeping his voice intact.

“I think it’s very easy to get scared, no matter what you sort of talk about.”

Pedro Pascal (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

As for how Pascal overcomes the fear of being misquoted or misrepresented, he admits to simply not giving a damn.

“There are so many different ways that things can get kind of fractured and have a life of itself. There’s one thing that you can say and no matter what your intention behind it, it is lost in all of these different headlines, I suppose—but I’ll never shut up.”

Say what you will about Pedro Pascal, but when a 50-year-old actor is in conversation with Sky News and the final line of a four-minute interview is “I’ll never shut up,” you start to wonder if there’s anyone at Marvel who can rein him in.

Fortunately, Pascal has remained one of the biggest names in the industry and maintains the freedom to say what he needs and be himself. In a conversation with Sky News, Pascal opened up about the possibility of him making “mistakes” with his outspoken attitude, admitting: “I definitely will make them and I’m not averse to making them.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pascal as Dr. Reed Richards, a brilliant scientist who is expected to save humanity while also anxiously preparing for the birth of his daughter with his wife, Sue Storm. He’s a superhero, yes, but a vulnerable, hyper-relatable one. Pascal, too, is burdened by public expectation, but he also has a moral compass that he is not afraid to point in the right direction. We all have heroes. Pedro Pascal’s integrity, even outside of his work, is a rare breath of fresh air.

The actor is no stranger to the industry. In a world where overnight virality or calculated social media can leave an actor with a huge following and quick fame, Pascal is proving that sticking to his guns in the public eye works for the best. Pascal has built a career on character-driven work in Oscar-winning films like Elysium, with Jodie Foster, and twice-nominated 12 Years a Slave, with Taraji P. Henson. He starred in hit series like Game of Thrones, The Tick, and for his role in The Mandalorian, received a Screen Actors Guild Award, a nomination for an Emmy, and was nominated at this year’s SAG Awards.

In today’s world, people are so protective of their privacy. Keeping your mouth shut is a type of power. The recent Academy Award nominations for Naomi Osaka over Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie are proof that many see silence as a commodity. But for Pascal, speaking is an act of rebellion, and we need more of that.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theatres and on Disney+ Max from 8 March.