Pedro Pascal is a prolific actor in film and TV, but he's best known for the latter, appearing in some of the hottest shows on television. Pascal made his onscreen debut with small TV roles in 1999, including a brief appearance in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For over a decade, the actor played minor characters in TV and movies until his breakthrough role in Game of Thrones. Pascal played Oberyn Martell, one of the most unforgettable characters of season 4.
Pascal's career skyrocketed after Game of Thrones, and the actor established himself as one of the most active figures in the business. Pascal tends to alternate between heroic and villainous roles, which only highlights his talent for challenging characters and projects. On the big screen, Pascal played the supervillain Maxwell Lord in Wonder Woman 1984, and Javi Gutierrez in the action comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. He is still mostly known for his work in television, though, including these 10 shows where he's had starring or recurring roles.
10 Brothers & Sisters (2006 - 2011)
Brothers & Sisters is an immersive family drama that revolves around the Walkers, a big family that consists of five siblings, who are the main characters of the show. Through five seasons, the Walkers lead their own lives and careers, although family seems to always get in the way. The show maintains a consistent focus on feel-good drama from beginning to end, with the main characters constantly changing for the better.
Pedro Pascal made one of the best guest appearances in the show's fifth and final season, introduced as Zach Wellison, a stubborn homeless man whom Justin Walker commits to helping. In only two episodes, the chemistry between the two characters grows stronger and emotionally powerful, but Zach's arc is too brief to be impactful to the overall story.
9 The Book of Boba Fett (2021 - 2022)
The Book of Boba Fett wound up being the weakest Star Wars show released in 2022. The series tried to be too many things, failing to completely satisfy in any one aspect. The show follows the bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand as they explore Tatooine's underworld in search of trouble and rewards. Unfortunately, it loses its focus, relying too much on cameos and fan service. As a spinoff of The Mandalorian, the show in which Pedro Pascal stars, his character's inclusion comes as no surprise. He appears in three episodes and ends up being the MVP of a show that he doesn't really belong to.
8 Lights Out (2011)
Lights Out never found traction with viewers despite its unique boxing setting. Still, even though the show got canceled after a single season, there are plenty of highlights that make this hidden gem worth the watch, starting with the amazing performances. Holt McCallany plays a former boxing champion who suffers from a condition caused by his years in the ring, struggling to find his true identity. With a powerful supporting cast that includes actors such as Stacy Keach and Pedro Pascal, who plays a young fighter training to become the best, Lights Out takes a sensitive approach to its violent setting.
7 The Good Wife (2009 - 2016)
The Good Wife is one of the best legal dramas of all time. The show follows Alicia Florrick, a former litigator who must return to work at full force after a political scandal involving her husband threatens to destroy their family. The Good Wife isn't a typical courtroom drama, providing meticulous mythology and unique legal cases, mostly because of Alicia's sharp wit. Pedro Pascal appears occasionally in the first two seasons, playing Nathan Landry, an assistant state attorney. His bold personality fits perfectly with the show's serious tone.
6 The Mentalist (2008 - 2015)
The transition to the 2010s was packed with procedural shows, although only a few were committed to delivering something original and unique, such as The Mentalist. The show counts on an unusual protagonist for a crime show: Patrick Jane. Tired of pretending to be a psychic, Jane joins the California Bureau of Investigation as an independent consultant in order to track the man who killed his family. The Mentalist's star-studded cast adds up to an unconventional crime show with welcoming hints of comedy. Pedro Pascal appears in a delicate moment in the show, standing between the show's beloved couple, Jane and Lisbon, by dating Lisbon for a few episodes.
5 Graceland (2013 - 2014)
Graceland could be considered a traditional procedural crime show, but there's a solid story that keeps simmering in the background. The show portrays a harsh reality where not all lawmen are worthy of trust. Graceland starts with the new FBI agent Mike Warren beginning his training in undercover operations with the enigmatic Agent Briggs, a bureau legend. The show has a nice balance of action and character development, with many conflicts driven by the generational gap between the two protagonists. Graceland features the first major television role of Pedro Pascal. He plays the stiff yet charming FBI agent Juan Badillo, who's at the center of season 1's most shocking events.
4 Narcos (2015 - 2017)
Narcos is a show with many brutal kills, realistically exploring the violent reality of the drug cartels in Latin America. In the face of the ruthless drug lord Pablo Escobar rising to power and many other drug kingpins following suit, Drug Enforcement Agent Javier Peña accepts the impossible task to stop them once and for all. Peña is Pedro Pascal's most challenging role, an influential real-life investigator who was instrumental in stopping Escobar's empire. What makes Narcos so fascinating is how it alternates between the point of view of the hero and the villain, with Wagner Moura and Pascal offering two unique perspectives of a delicate moment in Colombia's history.
3 Game of Thrones (2011 - 2019)
Game of Thrones was a massive TV event, and the world stopped when Oberyn Martell met a shocking fate at the peak of season 4, which is regarded as Game of Thrones' best season. Pedro Pascal is introduced as Oberyn in the season's first episode, "Two Swords," and is the catalyst for most of the season's events, directly impacting the arcs of main characters such as Tyron, Cersei, Tywin, and Sansa.
Iconic moments such as Oberyn's death, Tyrion's trial, and Tywin's murder are among the best scenes in Game of Thrones ever offered, and season 4 simply wouldn't work without Pascal. Oberyn is consumed by a thirst for revenge, but on the surface, he's a witty, sarcastic character who definitely should've stayed alive a little longer.
2 The Mandalorian (2019 - )
The Mandalorian is easily one of the best Star Wars shows ever, introducing a mythology of its own while bringing the best elements from the movies to its narrative. Pedro Pascal stars in the show as the titular Mandalorian, a.k.a. Mando, or Din Djarin, a solitary bounty hunter who sets out on a dangerous mission involving his peculiar companion, Grogu, a small, adorable creature with unimaginable powers.
Although Pascal's face is rarely shown, and the Mandalorian never speaks more than necessary, whenever the actor's presence is felt, he elevates the show's emotional impact immediately. Additionally, what the character represents to the Star Wars universe is beyond words; his silence makes a clear statement. The Mandalorian has a great balance of exploration and action, heading in unexpected directions and attracting even those who aren't fond of Star Wars.
1 The Last of Us (2023 - )
The Mandalorian helped to prove that Pedro Pascal was perfectly cast as Joel in The Last of Us. Just like Mando, Joel is a hardened character who forms a powerful bond with his young companion. Based on the successful game franchise, the series follows the two unlikely survivors in a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by a fungal infection that takes over humanity. The show breaks the video game adaptation curse by faithfully depicting the events of its source material without losing its own voice.
The chemistry between the two leads, Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie, is so believable that the emotional moments of the show stick with viewers for a long time. Pascal nails Joel's conflicting personality, evolving from a hopeless man to a person who finally found something, or somebody, worth fighting for.