Over the years, Hollywood has seen countless stars come and go, but only a handful have left a lasting impression quite like Pedro Pascal.
The 47-year-old Chilean-American actor has wowed audiences with exceptional performances in films like The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and Wonder Woman 1984.
However, his portrayal of the charismatic Oberyn Martell in the hit series Game of Thrones truly propelled him to stardom.
Pedro Pascal’s mother, Verónica Pascal Ureta, passed away before she could see him achieve success (Credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock)
Since then, Pedro has taken on leading roles in some of our time’s most acclaimed television dramas, including Narcos, The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us.
Yet, behind his rise to fame lies a poignant and heartbreaking tale.
Let’s take a closer look at how the sudden death of Pedro Pascal’s mother impacted his career and shaped the actor we know and admire today.
Who Is Pedro Pascal’s Mother?
Pedro Pascal was born in Santiago, Chile, on April 2, 1975, to Verónica Pascal and José Balmaceda Riera. Verónica, Pedro’s mother, worked as a child psychologist, while José, Pedro’s father, was a fertility doctor.
Verónica Pascal was the niece of the country’s Revolutionary Left Movement leader, Andrés Pascal Allende, and the nephew of Salvador Allende.
Before Pedro was born, his parents put their lives in danger by supporting the opposition against Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship.
Pedro Pascal’s parents, Verónica Pascal, a child psychologist, and José Balmaceda, a fertility doctor, were forced to flee Chile due to their involvement in the opposition movement against Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship (Credit: Walter McBride / INFphoto)
Pascal’s parents, Verónica Pascal, a child psychologist, and José Balmaceda, a fertility doctor, were forced to flee Chile due to their involvement in the opposition movement against Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship
His family fled Chile to Denmark when he was nine months old to seek asylum, then moved to San Antonio, Texas.
He has an older sister named Javiera, currently the head of local originals at Amazon Studios for Spanish-speaking Latin America, a younger brother named Nicolás pursuing a Ph.D. in pediatric neurology, and a younger sister named Lux, an actress who came out as trans in 2021 and is an advocate of the LGBTQ+ community.
View this post on Instagram
Pedro shared his experience with EFE on taking refuge, saying, “They offered us political asylum in Denmark, and shortly after, they received a job offer in the U.S. For that reason, that opportunity, I grew up here. That is the power of our culture. People from all over the world come to this country to offer their skills.”
In a 2020 interview with People, the star admitted he was a bit of a “spoiled kid.” He frequently argued with his parents over issues such as how late he could stay up to watch TV when he was younger.
Pedro Pascal posing with his youngest sister, Lux Pascal, born in California as Lucas Balmaceda, who got her MFA at Julliard and came out as trans in 2021 (Credit: Marion Curtis / Starpix / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
Pedro shared, “I’m being a little harsh with myself, but this would have been about eight years after they had been running for their lives. I was so well taken care of and shielded from it.”
He was eleven years old when his family relocated to California. Around that time, he became interested in acting and started attending classes at the Orange County School of the Arts. Then in 1993, he began attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
According to Telemundo, when he was studying, his father was involved in a controversy with the fertility clinic he operated, which caused him, his wife, and their two youngest children to return to Chile.
The Tragic Death of Pedro’s Mother
Pedro’s mother committed suicide in 2000 when he was attempting to succeed as an actor at 24.
The actor stated in Spanish to Paula magazine about her untimely passing in 2017: “The circumstances of my mother’s death made it very hard for us to remember her as the person she was.”
He continued, “It hurts so much. Sometimes I feel anguished, and I try to deal with it in the best possible way because I know that my mother would not want me to do it any other way.”
Pedro also mentioned his mother as “the love of my life.”
The actor said, “She was the love of my life. I think about her every day. I don’t pray, so I can’t say I have a religious practice to feel close to her, but I live for her, even though she’s gone.”
Pedro shared, “Losing the most important person in your life, discovering that something like this is possible and that what you fear most in life can happen, is an unexplainable and permanent moment. There is a before and after her death.”
Pedro Changed His Last Name to Honor His Mother
Pedro switched from using his father’s last name, Balmaceda, to his mother’s last name, Pascal, immediately after Verónica passed away.
Additionally, he was happy with the change because it was simpler to say “Pascal” than “Balmaceda,” which was difficult for many Americans to say.
When asked about his mother in 2020, Pedro told People, “She was always incredibly supportive, never a stage mom. I always felt like she knew something that I didn’t.”
The actor dedicated his success to his mom, saying, “None of [my success] would be real if it weren’t for her.”
Pedro posted a picture of his mother and a heartfelt birthday greeting on Instagram on February 15, 2021.
View this post on Instagram
The actor wrote in Spanish, “Mom, here you are in Denmark at 22. Married, a refugee, and mother of two. Years later, you would have two more, another son and another daughter. We are doing well; we are taking care of ourselves. Not a day goes by that you’re not with us, and we appreciate you.”
The Impact of His Mother’s Death on Pedro’s Career
Pedro’s career slowed down with the passing of his mother.
He was initially typecast into minor, stereotyped Latino male parts such as gang members and drug dealers. He appeared in police dramas, such as The Mentalist, Without a Trace, Law & Order, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
But in 2014, after nearly 20 years of playing supporting roles in film and television, his breakthrough role as Prince Oberyn Martell in season 4 of the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones launched him into the spotlight.
Pedro Pascal says that the circumstances of his mother’s death made it difficult for them to remember her as the person she was, and he thinks about her every day (Credit: Jennifer Graylock / INFphoto)
From there, he continued to secure prominent roles, including as DEA agent Javier Pea in the Netflix crime series Narcos, Maxwell Lord in the DC Extended Universe movie Wonder Woman 1984, Din Djarin in The Mandalorian from the Star Wars franchise, and Joel in the current hit show, the HBO drama adaptation of the video game The Last of Us.
Pedro has also demonstrated his talent and versatility as an actor and director, earning critical acclaim for his performances in various productions.
In 2008, he made his directorial debut with the play Underneath My Bed. In February 2019, he made his Broadway debut in a production of King Lear starring Glenda Jackson and Ruth Wilson.
Despite facing initial setbacks, Pedro Pascal has emerged as a highly esteemed and accomplished actor with a future that shines as bright as his talent.