“In spite of what my parents went through, they were also very lucky. They carry the guilt of their parents’ humble beginnings. It’s a generational thing, and it made us feel such permission to be and do what we want. It’s some sort of duty. Be grateful.”
-Pedro Pascal, episode 274 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
For the long weekend, we return to one of our favorite talks with actor Pedro Pascal! At the top, we discuss his role in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (5:02), working with childhood idol Nicolas Cage (6:50), why his parents left Chile (11:40), the John Hughes classic his dad wouldn’t let him watch (17:00), and the Tony Kushner play (20:21) that inspired him to give acting a go in New York City (25:07).
On the back-half, Pedro reflects on his first jobs on screen (27:52), the story of his mother’s passing (29:50), the friends who kept him afloat (36:20) as he built a career in theater (36:48), redefining childhood dreams in adulthood (42:34), and what really matters to him at age 47 (47:37).
Show-notes:
- See Pedro’s latest work in The Last of Us on HBO.
- Watch his ‘Protective Mom’ sketch on Saturday Night Live.
- Follow Pedro on Instagram.
- Find more of his recent performances in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Bubble, and House Comes With A Bird.
- To purchase tickets for our live show in NYC with author Min Jin Lee (February 24th), visit onairfest.com.
- For more talks, hear our conversations with Tessa Thompson, Nick Offerman, Cate Blanchett, Ke Huy Quan, Janicza Bravo, Questlove, Laura Dern, Janelle Monáe, Ethan Hawke, and Jonathan Majors.
- Order your Talk Easy mug in cream and navy or our vinyl record with Fran Lebowitz.
Illustrations by: Krishna Shenoi.
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