The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal is the son of political refugees from Chile, who actively opposed military dictator Augusto Pinochet. Pascal opened up about the risky lives of his parents, who fled Chile when he was just nine months old. While his parents eventually settled in San Antonio, Texas, life did not get any better for them even after they arrived in America.
For nearly two decades, Pascal took on smaller roles in TV and films. His breakthrough came with the role of Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones. He went on to play crucial roles in projects like Netflix’s Narcos and later assumed lead roles in HBO’s The Last of Us and Disney’s Star Wars series The Mandalorian.
Pedro Pascal’s Parents’ Struggle As Political Refugees
Pedro Pascal was born to child psychologist Verónica Pascal Ureta and fertility doctor José Balmaceda Riera in 1975. Pascal recently revealed his parents’ history as political refugees in a Reddit AMA session with fans. His parents supported the socialist President at the time, Salvador Allende. When the military, under Augusto Pinochet, seized control of the government, Pascal’s parents joined the opposition movement and worked against the regime. Pascal shared in the AMA:
“Well, my parents were liberals, they were very young at the time, I was just born, and they were Allende supporters, and you know, Chile at the time they were under military dictatorship, under Pinochet, and they were involved in the opposition movement against the military regime. Which really meant that they were against crimes against the people, because it was a really dangerous time.”
Pascal shared that individuals who spoke up against the regime would mysteriously disappear, and unfortunately, his parents were caught helping such people. He revealed that his parents snuck into the Venezuelan embassy in Santiago and sought asylum. Fearing capture by those looking for them, his parents eventually made the difficult decision to flee Chile. Pascal shared:
“A lot of people who spoke their mind were disappearing and in danger, it was a very intense climate for many years, they tried to help some people and were caught. They actually snuck into the Venezuelan Embassy in Santiago, Chile and claimed asylum after being in hiding for about 6 months after finding out people were looking for them.”
Pascal’s parents first sought political asylum in Denmark. Later, they moved to Texas, United States, where the Wonder Woman 1984 actor grew up. It was not until he turned eight that the family could return to Chile to visit relatives. They later relocated to Orange County, California, when Pascal was 11. Even the U.S. couldn’t help put a stop to the Pascal family’s struggles.
Pedro Pascal’s Family Had To Move Back To Chile Without Him
Pedro Pascal’s family was almost making it to a life of comfort in the United States when his father got entangled in a medical scandal. His fertility clinic in Orange County was accused of stealing eggs from women and selling them to other women. After this incident, José Balmaceda and Verónica Pascal returned to Chile with their youngest two children. Meanwhile, Pascal and his sister stayed in New York, sharing a shoebox apartment.
In 1999, while Pascal was struggling to make it as an actor in America, his mother died by suicide in Chile. After this life-altering loss, The Great Wall actor adopted his mother’s surname instead of his father’s. About his “incredibly supportive” mother, Pascal shared with People in 2020:
“She was always incredibly supportive, never a stage mom. I always felt like she knew something that I didn’t. None of [my success] would be real if it weren’t for her.”
Pedro Pascal also revealed that during this difficult period, he relied on his friends “like one would food and water.” Pascal befriended actor Oscar Isaac during his days of struggling as an actor and both of them bonded over their struggles. It was Pascal’s other good friend, Sarah Paulson, who helped him audition for Game of Thrones.
