As leaves start to fall and the winds become cooler, summer officially comes to a close. Now, as I sit bundled in a Snoopy blanket, I recall how blessed we all were to have the incredible Pedro Pascal take over the world this past summer.
With each year that passes, Pascal acquires more credits on his IMDb page. My love for the actor is well-known, as I’ve written several articles about his success. Vanity Fair said it best in their July/August issue: “Everyone Wants a Piece of Pedro Pascal.”
Did I get a year-long print subscription to Vanity Fair simply so I could have this issue in my greedy hands? Yes, yes, I did. I had to. My hands were tied because the print subscription was on sale for $12 per year.
On Feb. 16 — not quite in the summer, more springtime — the Pascal takeover really took control for “Saturday Night Live’s” (1975-) 50th celebration special. Pascal was featured in several skits, even jumping in as Renaldo in the viral “Domingo” bit with Sabrina Carpenter.
The following month on March 18, Pascal starred in an Apple ad for the AirPods 4, called “Someday.” The premise of the short is a man who is sad after a recent breakup — who would break up with him, I’m not sure — coming back out of his shell with his noise-canceling earbuds.
Not only are the vibrant colors amazing in this advertisement, but Pascal also looks excellent. Even in just a plain white t-shirt and khakis, he still stands out as much as the bright red flowers.
There is also something satisfying about the way he says, “You’re perfect,” towards the end of the commercial.
On April 13, the long-awaited premiere of “The Last of Us” (2023-) season two was released. Though Pascal was only in about three episodes for the season, he still ate up every scene he was in.
I felt so bad for him when Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey) ignored or yelled at him. My man is innocent, your honor; he did nothing wrong.
So, yes, the ending of episode two killed me inside. I even got a sticker that says “I survived season two, episode two of ‘The Last of Us.’” Although I must admit, after the episode, I did not continue with the series.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I only watched the show for him, and unlike season one, this season didn’t hold my interest as much now that his character was gone.
Following my grief, Pascal’s next film, “Materialists” (2025), was released on June 12 from A24. I grieved for him in this film as well, but for a different reason.
Despite the amount of press he was featured in, Pascal seemed to hardly be in this film. The advertisements made it seem like a love triangle would be a significant plot, but in reality, it was barely there, if at all.
In my opinion, besides my love for Pascal, his character, Harry, was a better option than John (played by Chris Evans) for Lucy (played by Dakota Johnson).
Harry had everything going for him: rich, didn’t care that she was broke and supported her profession in match-making. But no, she had to choose her ex-boyfriend whom she had broken up with because he was broke, and she hated him for it. Yes, he was still poor at the end of the film.
To be plain, I would never do that to him, even if he got the surgery to make him taller. I do not care one bit.
About a month later, on July 18, Pascal had another A24 film released: “Eddington” (2025).
I have not seen the film yet, as you can only rent or buy it on Amazon Prime Video, but trust that as soon as it is available on streaming services, I will be watching.
Pascal plays the mayor in Eddington, New Mexico. The film is set in May 2020 at the peak of the pandemic. Pascal’s character, Ted Garcia, is in a stand-off with the town sheriff, Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix), over COVID-19 procedures.
However, I do know he dies in the film. But I fear that is just a staple for basically any and every Pascal character. It is its own trope at this point. Dead or no, he looks fantastic in the clips.
He is a mayor I’d stand behind.
Finally, my top film from his projects this past year was one of the most anticipated: “Fantastic Four: First Steps” (2025).
While I am not a major Marvel fan, I still enjoyed the film immensely. It was amazing finally seeing a film where he doesn’t die. Seeing him as a father to a cute baby made my heart warm.
He and Vanessa Kirby beautifully portray Reed and Sue, making their relationship seem genuine and authentic.
I cannot wait for the next installment in the series, where Pascal will star beside Robert Downey Jr. in “Avengers: Doomsday” (2026).
My admiration for this man is a well-known fact to everyone around me. Several people send me edits or clips they’ve seen and say, “Thought of you,” or “Thought you should see this.”
But it has also reached the point where, when he comes on the screen of whatever my mother is watching, she yells for me, “Taylor, your man is on!” You best believe I come running. She does this for Jensen Ackles, too.
I look forward to seeing what other upcoming projects Pascal has in store. Knowing him, he is staying booked and busy. I have already marked my calendar for May 22, when “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” (2026) is set to release in theaters.
The theater employees will hate to see me coming with my Pascal shirt and blanket in tow.
Boggess can be reached at [email protected].
