Pedro Pascal, from espresso bar to 'Star Wars' and 'The Last of Us'

Widely praised by the public and critics, 'The Last of Us' premiered on HBO Max in January 2023. The series broke rating records and went viral on social media. Pedro Pascal, who plays the protagonist Joel, has more new fans with every episode.

Pedro Pascal has extensive experience in film and television, especially in the science fiction and action genres.

José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal was born on April 2, 1975, in Santiago, the capital of Chile. He is the son of a doctor and a psychologist and has three siblings.

According to La Vanguardia, "his parents were supporters of Chilean President Salvador Allende and were involved in the movement against the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet." Therefore, shortly after the birth of the actor, the family obtained political asylum in Denmark, where they lived for a while.

In the 1980s, Pedro Pascal and his family moved to the United States. He grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and Orange County, California.

Before embarking on entertainment, Pascal had several jobs and interests. At the age of 11, he was a good swimmer and he even participated in state championships in Texas.

In high school, he left sports to enter the Orange County High School of the Arts, where he focused on acting.

Ambitious to become an actor, Pedro moved to New York in 1993.

Pascal revealed to HBO that, before becoming famous, his first job was that of a barista in a Manhattan coffee shop.

While paying his bills as a barista, Pascal went to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where other celebrities such as Ethan Hawke, Elizabeth Olsen, and Anne Hathaway (image) also got their degrees.

In the 90s and early 2000s, the actor began appearing in TV series such as 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' 'The Good Wife,' 'Homeland,' 'The Mentalist,' and 'Graceland.'

In the HBO series 'Game of Thrones,' Pascal began to gain notoriety. He played Prince Oberyn Martell in the show's fourth season in 2013.

After GoT, his career took off. In 2015, Pascal played retired agent Javier Peña in 'Narcos.' His character investigated Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel, together with his former colleague Stephen Murphy and Colombia's National Police.

In 2016, he played Tovar in 'The Great Wall' alongside Matt Damon and Jing Tian. The action/ sci-fi thriller was directed by Zhang Yimou.

In 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian', Pedro Pascal brought Din Djarin, the title character, to life. He lived a moment of glory thanks to the acclaimed series. His fame would be prolonged and surpassed by the current success of 'The Last of Us.'

In 'The Last of Us' (HBO), Pascal plays a smuggler with the task of escorting teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) into a post-apocalyptic world. The series is an adaptation of the famous video game of the same name.

In an interview with Variety, Pascal revealed that he was not familiar with the game before reading the script for the series. Yet, he said that it was important to understand the game, as it served as a source of inspiration.

In this same interview, Bella Ramsey said that the series' creators (Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann) helped the cast a lot. They put the best of the game in the script, she said.

In June 2019, Pedro Pascal told Telemundo 52 that he does not have time for love. He explained that a relationship would require dedication and a lot of energy. It is unclear whether his relationship status has changed since then.

In the image: Pascal hugging his 'Game of Thrones' co-star Sophie Turner

Pascal has been seen alongside Sarah Paulson on several occasions. He and the 'American Horror Story' actress are long-time pals. They met in the 1990s through mutual friends.

While Pascal enjoys the fame and acclaim of 'The Last of Us,' HBO has announced that the series will have a second season. Good news for the actors and the fans!