Why did Pedro Pascal change his real name?

Pedro Pascal, the current heartthrob of Hollywood, was not given the name we all know him by at birth. His parents, child psychologist Verónica Pascal and physician José Balmaceda Riera, chose to call the 47-year-old performer José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal.

According to sources, the actor started using Pedro Pascal formally because Balmaceda was difficult for Americans to pronounce. Pedro also discussed how being Latino prevented him from landing non-stereotypical roles in Hollywood.

Photo: Collected

In his 25-year-long career, Pedro played minor roles in numerous television shows and films before he finally hit his stride as a multifaceted actor who now leads a number of hit TV shows by playing the part of survivor Joel Miller, alongside Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, and Nico Parker in HBO's most recent popular series, The Last of Us. 

Besides the hit video game-inspired TV show, the actor is also the leading man in the hit sci-fi TV series The Mandalorian, which is now airing its third season. He has also appeared in shows like Narcos, The Good Wife, Homeland, Graceland, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and many others. In the fourth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones, he was chosen as Oberyn Martell, the "Red Viper," in June 2013.

Additionally, he has a wealth of experience in the theater as a director and performer. For his portrayal of Phillip in the International City Theater production of Orphans, he won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award and the Garland Award. He has appeared in both traditional and modern shows.

Photo: Collected

He has performed in various Off-Broadway productions, including Maple and Vine by Jordan Harrison, Beauty of the Father by Nilo Cruz, Based on a Totally True Story by Roberto Aguirre-Sacassa, "Sand" by Trista Baldwin, "Old Comedy" by David Greenspan, Some Men by Terrence McNally, and the 2006 production of "Macbeth" by Shakespeare in the Park. He is a member of the New York City-based LAByrinth Theater Company.

Despite these obstacles, the actor secured memorable roles in some of the biggest movies and television shows, including Wonder Woman, Narcos, and Game of Thrones, propelling him into the spotlight as a popular and in-demand performer today.