The Forgotten Pedro Pascal TV Series Role That Saved His Hollywood Career

Pedro Pascal is one of the hottest commodities in Hollywood right now. He seemingly jumps from one franchise to the next, getting a big boost in his career after portraying Oberyn Martell on "Game of Thrones." And Twitter couldn't hold back when Marvel announced he would be in "Fantastic Four" as Reed Richards. However, like most actors, Pascal was, at one point, just struggling to get by and almost contemplated quitting the business until a lifeline came from a previous role on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Following the SAG Awards, Pascal spoke with Entertainment Tonight and reflected on how he worked for a long time before rising to fame. He explained, "We're talking about being able to see a doctor, getting sick, getting a surgery, paying my rent when I had less than $7 in my account, and a residual from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' showed up and saved the day, and literally is the reason I was able to stay in it and not give up." The actor played Eddie on Season 4, Episode 1 of "Buffy," titled "The Freshman." Initially getting flirty with Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Eddie eventually gets turned into a vampire and attacks her.

It's one of Pascal's earliest roles, a far cry from being an actor who's starred in back-to-back hit TV shows with "The Mandalorian" and "The Last of Us." And it goes to show how paramount it is for actors to receive residuals for their work; they can help fill the gap between gigs. 

Pedro Pascal's story will inevitably sound familiar to anyone who has tried to make it in Hollywood. The actor even admitted to Entertainment Tonight, "My entry-level lasted about 15 years," indicating that it can often take years before getting any traction and stability. Luckily, a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" residual kept him afloat, and it's stories like these that show how critical such checks can be. It's why residuals were a major sticking point in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, as streaming had significantly impacted how much money actors continue to get for their previous work. 

If Pascal were trying to break out today, he may have had to quit. And such checks weren't the only thing allowing him to pay his bills. An untold truth of Pedro Pascal is that he has a longtime friendship with fellow actor, Sarah Paulson, who's starred in numerous seasons of "American Horror Story." In a 2023 interview with Esquire, she mentioned, "There were times when I would give him my per diem from a job I was working on so that he could have money to feed himself." On top of that, Paulson also helped get Pascal's audition tape in front of David Benioff, "Game of Thrones" co-showrunner, allowing him to secure the role of Oberyn. Now that's a good friend.

Pascal's story is one of perseverance, showing how he wasn't merely an overnight sensation but put in his dues. It was because of a lot of luck and having friends in the right places that the actor was able to become the megastar he is today.