The leading man we didn't know we needed is a 50-year-old 'daddy' with a heart of gold

He can play a romantic lead. He can steal scenes in prestige dramas. He can suit up for Marvel. And he can do it all in a way that makes women — and men — swoon. In the heat of summer blockbuster season, you can’t miss Pedro Pascal at your movie theater.

“I’m everywherrrrrrrrrrrrrre 👥👥👥👥👥” Pascal playfully captioned a June Instagram post about one of his latest films, Eddington. And he’s right.

Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. (Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Right now, he's starring in three of the summer's most talked-about movies: Materialists, Eddington and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. His reign isn’t limited to the big screen. In addition to dominating multiplexes, he nabbed another Emmy nomination for his role in The Last of Us and has continued to stir conversation about his fashion sense, viral interview responses and general sense of whimsy.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_8lokr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_glokr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe

It’s a pivotal time for Pascal — a 50-year-old actor finally having the breakout moment he worked for his whole life, generating a rabid fan army that’s passionate about his upbeat and empathetic persona.

But being everywhere has its price.

Pascal truly broke out in January 2023 when he starred as the morally complex post-apocalyptic father figure Joel in The Last of Us, which led to a Saturday Night Live hosting gig, which earned him an Emmy nomination and a key role in Gladiator II. As his stardom was reaching inferno levels ahead of the 2024 awards season, he got hurt tackling Paul Mescal while filming Gladiator II. Then, he got hurt again after falling down the stairs.

Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal in Gladiator II. (Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy of Everett Collection)

Being in his late 40s, he couldn’t recover as quickly as younger actors who were also breaking out as action heroes. Jason Walsh, Pascal’s trainer who has also been his friend since 2014, tells Yahoo he saw Pascal go through “a downward spiral.”

AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_9hokr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_hhokr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe

“When he came to me, he was like, ‘I’m broken.’ He was very vulnerable psychologically,” he said. Pascal, no stranger to the long road to stardom, began an excruciating journey to recovery.

Walsh said he and the actor spent a full year just working on “restabilizing” his body and helping him overcome the fear of being hurt again. Eventually, through setting small goals and working closely together, Pascal attained the strength needed to become a superhero and do most of his own stunts.

“It’s one of my favorite stories, and it happened to a good friend … I’m really proud of him because these stories don’t get told, because in the world of fitness, it’s all about aesthetics,” Walsh says. “He looks f***ing great, but this is his version of strength and resiliency. He’s able to do all these things.” Yahoo reached out to Pascal’s team for comment, but he wasn’t able to respond due to his schedule.

Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal in Materialists. (Atsushi Nishijima/A24/Courtesy of Everett Collection)

Walsh can’t say enough kind things about Pascal, whom he called “a beautiful person and so courageous” and “super intelligent to the point where it's intimidating, in a way, but he doesn't rub your face in it.” Pascal’s ability to, despite injury, challenge the masculinity norms for middle-aged men in Hollywood stands out to Walsh.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_a9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_i9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe

“There’s a level of empathy, compassion and love [that is among the] many qualities you don’t see in men anymore,” Walsh says.

What his friends love about him is also what’s won him such a supportive fanbase. That’s part of the reason his ascension to superstar happened so swiftly. Once people knew about him, they couldn’t get enough. He’s just different.

‘Vulnerability is a strength’

It's no accident that Pascal is ascending at a time when “toxic masculinity and nationalism” are converging, Deepak Sarma, a culture expert and professor at Case Western Reserve University who uses they/them pronouns, tells Yahoo.

“Pedro offers a kind of masculinity that isn’t binary, and people love it,” Sarma explains. “He presents himself in a way where you can’t really pinpoint [his sexuality] … and you see him showing a vulnerable sensibility in his acting and daily life.” Masculinity norms in the Latino community can be even stricter than those in the general population. Pascal knows this firsthand — as the child of Chilean refugees, he has defied stereotypical machismo and advocated for gender equality long before the spotlight was shining brightly on him.

Pedro Pascal at the 2023 Met Gala. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Longtime fan Isabelle Deveaux, a 26-year-old who works in the film industry, first became obsessed with Pascal when he appeared in the first season of an FBI drama called Graceland, which premiered on the USA Networkin 2013 — before mainstream media took an interest in him in Game of Thrones or The Mandalorian. She tells Yahoo that she tends to keep an eye out for Latinx people in Hollywood like herself.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_b9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_j9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe

“He just feels like Princess Diana to me right now. There’s a video of him greeting fans out of a car in Mexico City, and I was like, ‘That’s literally Princess Diana greeting the masses,’” she says. “He’s been grinding for 25-plus years to get where he is, and it wasn’t an easy path for him. … I don’t think it’s a trend. I think it’s the fruit of his labor.”

Because he’s so personable and Deveaux has been rooting for him for so long, she says Pascal feels like one of her friends. That makes her feel even more invested in his success.

“Everything is so bleak, but at least it’s Pedro Pascal summer, and I can go see him in everything,” she says.

Fans aren’t the only people moved by Pascal. The entire Hollywood machine is impressed. Annie Semenova, an acting coach, tells Yahoo that Pascal is —simply put — really good at his job.

Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us. (Liane Hentscher/HBO)

“Pascal understands something fundamental that many actors miss: Vulnerability is strength. … He brings a lived-in authenticity that makes audiences feel safe enough to invest emotionally,” she says. “He’s proven he can carry both intimate character studies and tentpole blockbusters because he approaches each with the same level of preparation and emotional honesty.”

AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_c9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_k9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe

Fans admire his emotional depth — they aren’t just calling him “Daddy” because he’s hot, though he certainly is. The title he’s been given isn’t exclusively about his looks or his age. He takes on protective roles that inspire people to match his vulnerability with their own.

“It’s the natural result of an actor who embodies masculine vulnerability, emotional intelligence and genuine warmth,” Semenova adds.

“He’s a reflection of us, the audience. Pascal is the first leading man built by the female gaze, the queer gaze and fandom culture — not the male fantasy industrial complex.”

Marie Nicola

To some, he’s Daddy. To others, he’s a meme and a progressive icon. All are correct, pop culture historian Marie Nicola tells Yahoo. He’s so rare, it’s no wonder he inspires such intense fan behavior.

“He’s a reflection of us, the audience. Pascal is the first leading man built by the female gaze, the queer gaze and fandom culture — not the male fantasy industrial complex,” she says.

‘He belongs to the people’

It’s also impressive that Pascal has held key roles in several shows and franchises integral to geek culture: the fantasy series Game of Thrones, Star Wars vehicle The Mandalorian, video game adaptation The Last of Us and comic book movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps. He’s transitioned seamlessly from franchise to franchise, treating the source material and fandoms involved with dignity and respect.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_d9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_l9okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe

“He was not cast into stardom. He was assembled — claimed by femmes, nerds, queer fans, Latino communities, moms, dads and those who are emotionally fluent in internet culture,” Nicola explains. “He belongs to the people who need him to be whatever they want him to be at any given moment, and in that moment, Pascal is always down for it.”

Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in Eddington. (A24/Courtesy of Everett Collection)

Several fans tell Yahoo that they’re struck by how Pascal remains politically outspoken in favor of transgender and immigrant rights despite campaigning for major acting awards and leading a blockbuster superhero film. He frequently speaks out on behalf of the LGBTQ community and brings his transgender sister, Lux, to events. That contrasts with the strategy many other stars are employing in the current political climate. Stacy Jones, CEO of influencer marketing company Hollywood Branded, tells Yahoo this is extremely rare — not just the bravery, but the continued widespread support.

“He’s walked that tightrope because he leads with empathy, not ego. He doesn’t posture. He uses his voice in moments that matter, and audiences respect that,” she explains. “This current moment [for Pascal] is the result of smart career choices, solid personal branding and real emotional intelligence. He earned trust, and in today’s celebrity landscape, trust is the new currency.”

On July 17 — with two movies in theaters and a major superhero film on the way — Pascal posted on Instagram about how the Trump administration would soon close the national suicide hotline for transgender youth.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_e1okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_m1okr8lb2mav5ubsddbH1_ iframe

“‘Maybe kindness is the real punk rock,’” one fan commented on Pascal’s post, referencing a line from the new Superman movie, a rare blockbuster the actor doesn’t have a role in.

Empathy, a rejection of traditional masculinity and activism are not the kinds of things you see a lot from superheroes, but Pascal is in a league of his own — different from his peers in just about every way possible. He is, as his Instagram handle @pascalispunk suggests, punk.