We like to believe that Pedro Pascal is capable of doing anything and his filmography supports that. The Chilean-American actor’s mainstream success started in 2014 when he was chosen to portray Oberyn Martell in the fourth season of Game of Thrones, which is arguably the greatest fantasy television series in history.
The incredible talent of its cast members was one of the many factors that contributed to Game of Thrones‘ success, which will live on in television history. Pascal stood out as one of the series’ most alluring and memorable actors among the many others who appeared on our screens. Fans were in awe of his incredible acting abilities as Martell, also known as the Red Viper.
However, did you know that Pascal’s audition was a total game-changer?
When Pedro Pascal Nailed it During Game of Thrones Audition
Nobody knew that Pedro Pascal‘s performance in that audition would not only land him a spot on Game of Thrones but would also leave a lasting impression on our hearts.
It is safe to say Pascal nailed his audition for the role of Oberyn Martell, which was nothing short of captivating. What gave him such a firm belief that he was the ideal match to play Red Viper? He once explained to the LA Times:
“He was dangerous. I’m not dangerous, but I have a sharp nose. I will probably be playing bad guys forever because of my face. There was something so s*xy about the character. I loved stepping into that fantasy. One of the things that the creators told me was just by mention of his bisexuality there was a flamboyance the actors started to attribute to the character in their auditions. That never occurred to me. He seemed so male to me.”
As the vengeful Prince Oberyn, Pascal was a standout addition to Game of Thrones, but he also insisted that his on-screen persona had nothing to do with his actual “exterior persona” (per LA Times):
“The fact that he was bisexual had nothing to do with his exterior persona. I loved him as much as [showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] did, and they saw that. So it didn’t matter that the casting director had never heard of me, HBO had no idea who the … I was. They knew what they wanted and they made it happen.”
David Benioff Explained Why Pedro Pascal Was The Perfect Fit For Oberyn Martell
David Benioff, the co-showrunner of Game of Thrones’ eight-season run, cast Pedro Pascal after the actor impressed him during his audition. Oberyn Martell’s character was made more endearing and compelling by Pascal’s charisma and presence, and as a result, he rose to become one of the show’s biggest breakout actors.
In an earlier interview with Variety, Benioff said:
“He [Pedro Pascal] figures out who the character really is and then he portrays that man, scouring off all falsehood. Plus, he’s really f—ing handsome.”
What came to the American writer-producer’s mind when Pedro’s first audition for Oberyn was presented to him? Benioff briefly explained:
“First of all, it was an iPhone selfie audition, which was unusual. And this wasn’t one of the new-fangled iPhones with the fancy cameras. It looked like sh*t; it was shot vertical; the whole thing was very amateurish. Except for the performance, which was intense and believable and just right.”
The X-Men Origins: Wolverine co-writer has anticipated Pedro’s success in the industry once the makers have seen the entire season. To quote Benioff:
“Once we saw the entire season there was no doubt Pedro was going to be a star. I thought he deserved more recognition, frankly. Was he nominated for any awards? He should have been. But Dan and I were thrilled that we gave Pedro a job that helped his ascent, because he’s an absolute gem of an actor and a man.”
Since 2019, Pascal has played the lead in the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian and reprised the role in last year’s The Book of Boba Fett. Also, he has starred as Joel Miller in the HBO drama series The Last of Us since 2023, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Stream Game of Thrones on Max.
