Pedro Pascal Flexed His Arms and His Politics at Cannes
Yes, Pedro Pascal stunned the internet with his biceps and that black mesh shirt at Cannes. But when the microphones came out, the Latino star reminded everyone what actually matters: his immigrant story, his stance on human rights, and his quiet but fierce resistance to Trump-era immigration rhetoric.
During the Cannes Film Festival press conference for Eddington—a pandemic-era satire by Ari Aster—a reporter asked Pascal about the current deportations happening in the United States. It would’ve been easy to sidestep. Instead, he got personal.
“I am an immigrant,” Pascal said, according to NBC News. “My parents are refugees from Chile. We fled a dictatorship, and I was privileged enough to grow up in the United States after asylum in Denmark. If it weren’t for that, I don’t know what would have happened to us. I stand by those protections always.”
“Fear is the way that they win”: Pedro Pascal doesn’t stay quiet
The film Eddington doesn’t shy away from bold statements—it explores themes like pandemic-era polarization, government mistrust, and the slow collapse of consensus in America. So when Variety asked the cast whether they feared political retaliation for being part of such a message-heavy movie, Pascal didn’t flinch.
“Fear is the way that they win,” Pascal replied. “So keep telling the stories, keep expressing yourself, and keep fighting to be who you are. F*ck the people that try to make you scared… And fight back.”
Even while acknowledging the intimidating weight of these questions, Pascal’s resolve never cracked. “It’s far too intimidating the question for me to really address, I’m not informed enough,” he admitted. “But I want people to be safe and to be protected. I want very much to live on the right side of history.”
Pedro Pascal’s politics are personal
It wasn’t the first time Pascal spoke out about his refugee roots. But at Cannes, it felt different—closer, more urgent. A wave of heightened anti-immigrant sentiment has thrust the United States back into a volatile political era. Trump’s second term has already reinstated harsh border policies, and Homeland Security recently announced a plan offering $1,000 and travel aid to undocumented immigrants who voluntarily leave the country.
That’s the context in which Pascal stood on an international stage and said: “I stand by those needing protection, always.”
