Pedro Pascal captured the hearts of the world with his roles as the protectve father figure in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us. While fans call him the "Daddy of the Internet," his journey to stardom was long and filled with rejection. In fact, he struggled for decades as an unknown actor, relying on the kindness of famous friends just to eat. Furthermore, his life began with a dramatic escape from a dictatorship, making his personal story just as intense as his movies. Prepare to unmask the man behind the helmet.
Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal was a competitive swimmer as a child. He participated in the state championships in Texas when he was eleven years old. However, he quit the sport immediately after discovering his passion for drama class.
He fled Chile as a baby due to political persecution. His parents were supporters of Salvador Allende and opposed the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Consequently, the family sought political asylum in Denmark before eventually moving to the United States.
Sarah Paulson used to feed him when he was a starving artist. The two actors have been best friends since the early nineties. During his years of unemployment, she often gave him her daily food allowance so he would not go hungry.
He forgot he landed the role of Joel in The Last of Us because of a sleeping pill. He received the call late at night in London and took an Ambien immediately after to sleep. When he woke up the next morning, he had zero memory of the conversation and thought he was still waiting for the news.
He worked as a go-go dancer in Madrid in the nineties. After graduating from college, he moved to Spain and found work dancing in nightclubs. He wore silver hair and danced on platforms to earn a living.
His casting in Game of Thrones happened because of his friend Amanda Peet. He recorded his audition on an iPhone and sent it to Sarah Paulson, who showed it to Peet. Peet then forced her husband, showrunner David Benioff, to watch the tape.
He cannot see anything when wearing the Mandalorian helmet. He described the experience as “going blind” because his breath fogs up the narrow visor instantly. Furthermore, he has no peripheral vision and often trips over objects on set.
Oscar Isaac convinced him to take the Mandalorian role. His longtime friend and fellow Star Wars actor encouraged him to join the franchise. The two have been close friends since they performed in a play together in 2005.
He appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a college student named Eddie. Unfortunately, his character was turned into a vampire and killed by Buffy almost immediately. This remains one of his most famous early roles.
He changed his last name to honor his mother. Born José Pedro Balmaceda, he adopted his mother’s maiden name, Pascal, after she passed away. Additionally, he felt that Americans found “Pascal” easier to pronounce than “Balmaceda.”
He based his Wonder Woman 1984 character on Nicolas Cage. He channeled the eccentric acting style of Cage to play the villain Max Lord. Later, he got to star alongside his idol in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
The sequin pillow scene with Nicolas Cage was completely improvised. In the movie, his character shows off a pillow with Cage’s face on it. The awkward and hilarious interaction that followed was not in the script but made the final cut.
He was fired from over ten waiting jobs. Before he found success, he worked in various New York City restaurants to pay the bills. However, he admitted he was a terrible waiter and could not hold down a job.
He appeared in a music video with Heidi Klum. He played the supermodel’s love interest in the video for Sia’s song “Fire Meet Gasoline.” The video features the two of them in a dramatic, burning house.
Finally, he is a voracious reader. He often lists classics like Jane Eyre and Crime and Punishment as his favorite books. He has stated that reading was a major part of his upbringing and remains a way for him to relax.
Bryan Cranston achieved critical and popular acclaim portraying Walter White in Breaking Bad, earning multiple Emmy wins. With a versatile career spanning comedy, drama, film, and stage, Cranston is a celebrated actor and director.
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Lee Cranston was born on March 7, 1956, in Hollywood, California.
He rose to stardom for his iconic portrayal of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin, in the AMC series Breaking Bad (2008–2013).
Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times for Breaking Bad (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014).
Before Breaking Bad, he gained fame as the humorous and quirky Hal on Fox’s Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006), earning multiple Emmy nominations.
Cranston began acting in commercials and guest-starring TV roles as a child, developing his craft over decades.
His film roles include Saving Private Ryan (1998), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Drive (2011), Contagion (2011), and Trumbo (2015), where he portrayed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo.
Bryan Cranston received Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations for his role in Trumbo.
On stage, he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Lyndon B. Johnson in All the Way (2013) and later for Network (2019).
He has directed episodes of TV shows including Breaking Bad, Malcolm in the Middle, and Sneaky Pete.
Bryan Cranston narrated the documentary Apollo 11 and voiced characters in animated films like Isle of Dogs (2018).
He starred in the crime drama series Sneaky Pete (2015–2019) and Your Honor (2020–2023).
Cranston is known for his deep voice, intense character work, and ability to transition between comedy and drama seamlessly.
Despite fame, he remains known for his humility and dedication to craft.
Bryan Cranston was nominated for and won several awards for both his acting and directing work over his career.
Beyond acting, he is active in charity work and mentorship within the industry.
Most people know Matthew Perry as the sarcastic Chandler Bing from Friends. However, his life off-screen was even more fascinating than his sitcom character. For instance, he was a top-ranked tennis player in Canada before he became an actor. Furthermore, he once beat up a future Prime Minister in the schoolyard. Consequently, his journey is full of surprising twists and hidden talents. Therefore, get ready to explore the unknown side of this beloved star. You will see him in a whole new light.
Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry was a talented athlete in his youth. Specifically, he was a top-ranked junior tennis player in Ottawa, Canada. He practiced for hours every day.
Surprisingly, he attended school with Justin Trudeau. In fact, he and a friend once beat up the future Prime Minister in fifth grade. He later apologized for this behavior.
He lost the tip of his middle finger as a child. Because a door slammed on his hand, he lost part of the digit. Fans often spotted this in close-up scenes.
Additionally, his stepfather is a famous journalist. Keith Morrison, the iconic host of Dateline NBC, married Matthew’s mother in 1981. They had a very close relationship.
He almost missed his role on Friends. Initially, he was committed to a pilot about futuristic baggage handlers called LAX 2194. Fortunately, that show flopped immediately.
Uniquely, he is the only Friends cast member who wrote an episode. He contributed significantly to the script because he knew his character so well.
He loved the video game Fallout: New Vegas. Therefore, he voiced the villainous character Benny in the game. He did this just because he was a huge fan.
Furthermore, he made a famous bet with Bruce Willis. He bet that their movie The Whole Nine Yards would be a hit. Because Willis lost, he appeared on Friends for free.
Matthew Perry had a deep obsession with Batman. He even bought a massive penthouse because it looked like Bruce Wayne’s home. He often called himself “Mattman.”
Surprisingly, he once wrote a paper on quantum physics. He did this to convince Julia Roberts to appear on Friends. She agreed only after he finished the assignment.
His favorite movie of his own was Fools Rush In. Although he is known for sitcoms, he loved this romantic comedy the most. He cherished the experience of filming it.
He was a dedicated advocate for addiction recovery. Consequently, he turned his own Malibu home into a sober living facility called Perry House. He helped many people find sobriety.
Interestingly, his mother was a press secretary. She worked directly for Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Thus, politics surrounded him from a young age.
He wrote a play called The End of Longing. It premiered in London and he starred in it himself. The play received mixed but passionate reviews.
Finally, he has very famous ancestors. Genealogists discovered he is related to William Wallace. He is also a descendant of Mayflower passengers.
