Top 10 Pedro Pascal Roles

“Wonder Woman 1984” (2020)

The sequel to Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” arrived on HBO Max on Christmas Day 2020. And while fans weren’t too impressed with the film, Pedro Pascal’s villainous role as Maxwell Lord received praise. The wealthy businessman seeks out the ancient Dreamstone for its wish-granting power, using it to become the stone itself and save his failing oil company. Max Lord isn’t evil, per se, but his pursuit of the American Dream made him greedy. Pascal’s nuanced performance made this otherwise unlikeable character a sympathetic villain. The actor captured the desperation of a mogul with a rags-to-riches backstory and a father trying to give his son a better life. Plus, seeing Pedro Pascal don ‘80s-era attire was quite the treat.

“The Equalizer 2” (2018)

Pedro Pascal played many villains in his career but his character in “The Equalizer 2” just might be the most remorseless of them all. In this Denzel Washington-led revenge thriller sequel, Pascal plays Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) operative Dave York, a former teammate of protagonist Robert McCall. York is a husband, father, and ruthless mercenary willing to kill anyone he needs to. And after he murders someone important to McCall, he’s at the top of the hit list. Pascal definitely held his own while sharing scenes with Washington and the two had great chemistry as foes with a history.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (2017)

In the “Kingsman” franchise’s second go around, Pedro Pascal joined the star-studded cast as Jack Daniels, aka Agent Whiskey of the Statesman, the American counterpart to the Kingsman. The Burt Reynolds-esque cowboy helps his brethren go up against the titular drug cartel, the Golden Circle. One of the things people love most about Pascal is his playfulness and he clearly had fun with his mustachioed character, even learning how to use Whiskey’s signature lasso. The actor made the morally gray agent a treat to watch, and even among big names like Halle Berry and Jeff Bridges, Pascal stood out with this memorable performance.

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (2022)

Speaking of standing out, Pedro also shines in this action comedy alongside none other than Nicolas Cage, who stars as himself. Billionaire Javi Gutierrez is the ultimate Nick Cage superfan, so he drops a million dollars for the megastar to attend his birthday party. However, the CIA thinks Javi has ulterior motives. As an admirer of Cage himself, this was the perfect role for Pedro, especially a character with such a good heart. The scene-stealer brings the laughs as well as heartwarming moments. Javi may be a little wild and suspicious at times but his undying love of Nick Cage never wavers. And the chemistry between Pedro and the real-life Cage is just as electric.

“Triple Frontier” (2019)

A group of former Delta Force operatives travel to South America with a plan to steal millions in cash from a drug lord. But things turn ugly and the likelihood that they’ll make it out of the country alive becomes uncertain. Pedro Pascal plays Francisco “Catfish” Morales, or Frankie, a retired pilot focusing on his growing family. When his military brothers need a pilot for the mission, he reluctantly agrees to go along. Pedro imbues Catfish with strength and loyalty, showing a man who sticks by his friends in the worst situations. He also got the chance to act alongside his old pal Oscar Isaac, even living together as they filmed in Hawaii.

“Prospect” (2018)

This visually striking sci-fi indie film sees Pedro as an enigmatic astronaut named Ezra. While in the forest on an alien moon, he meets Damon and his daughter Cee mining for gems as he and his silent partner are doing the same. The rival prospectors duke it out, leaving Ezra and Cee with no choice but to make a deal to ensure their survival. Though it’s not one of his most well-known roles, Pascal makes Ezra chilling yet intriguing and not your typical sci-fi villain. And “Prospect” was one of his earliest projects where he radiated protective, single dad energy.

“The Mandalorian” (2019-) & “The Book of Boba Fett” (2021-)

For anyone who wasn’t familiar with Pedro Pascal before 2019, that all changed when he was cast as the titular bounty hunter in Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian.” The series begins with Mando, birth name Din Djarin, on a mission to retrieve the Child, aka Grogu, aka Baby Yoda. But when he learns that the Force-wielding creature could meet a gruesome end, he keeps him and intends to take him home. Though hesitant at first, the man of few words strikes a father-son bond with the little guy, a dynamic we’ll see more of in Pedro’s work. Sure, he’s stubborn and hardened. But there’s more to the man beneath the helmet, proven by Pedro’s ability to convey so much emotion with just his voice and physicality.

“Game of Thrones” (2011-19)

Although his character didn’t live too long in the “Game of Thrones” universe, Pedro Pascal certainly made his mark in the series, entering and exiting in fabulous fashion with tons of fun in between. The actor appeared in all but three episodes of season 4 as the intelligent and impulsive Oberyn Martell, the younger brother of Prince Doran. Also known by the nickname The Red Viper, Oberyn travels to King’s Landing hell-bent on avenging his sister’s death which doesn’t end well for him. There were many, many deaths on “GoT” and he has one of the most memorable by far. Pascal strikes the perfect balance of lustful, likable, and intimidating. It’s no surprise why this role skyrocketed him to stardom.

“The Last of Us” (2023-)

The highly anticipated HBO Max series “The Last of Us” premiered in January 2023 to wide acclaim for the show itself but also for Pascal’s leading part as Joel Miller. The first episode alone spans decades and we see Joel go from having birthday breakfast with his daughter to tragically losing her that night. The actor expertly handles a range of emotions, seamlessly transitioning into his trademark haunted stoicism twenty years after the Cordyceps outbreak. The actor also has great chemistry with co-star Bella Ramsay, matching her character’s attitude with his own dad sass.

“Narcos” (2015-17)

Pedro Pascal landed his first series regular role in the Netflix original series “Narcos” starring as DEA agent Javier Peña. Set in 1980s Colombia, the series follows Peña and his partner Steve Murphy, both based on real people, as they hunt down infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel. When he’s not tracking down sicarios, he’s “meeting up” with informants. In other words, Agent Peña has a full dance card. After the first two seasons, Pascal became the leading man with his character taking over the series narration from Murphy. The actor gave a riveting performance as the charismatic loner, letting his dedication to stopping drug trafficking stay at the forefront while giving him more complex layers.