Pedro Pascal wanted to quit acting. His community didn't let him.
This week, the 50-year-old star of such critically-acclaimed shows as 'The Last of Us' and 'The Mandalorian' — as well as the buzzy new A24 film 'Materialists' — appeared on the cover of the July/August issue of Vanity Fair.
In a heartfelt interview with contributor Karen Valby, he attributed his success as an actor to the assistance he took from 'angels around him': his friends, family and even his late pit bull mix, Gretta, whom he grieved before his big break.
'In my 30s I was supposed to have a career,' Pascal said to Vanity Fair. 'Past 29 without a career meant that it was over, definitely.'
After the death of his mom Veronica, who died tragically by suicide, the Chilean American, then 24, worked in restaurants and bars while trying to make it as an actor. Pascal often contemplated changing his career but was urged by his oldest sister, Javiera Balmaceda, to stay on course.
'When Pedro would say, 'I'm going to nursing school' or 'I'm going to be a theater teacher,' it was just like 'No, no, no, no! You're too good!'' Balmaceda said.
'The one thing we'd never allow Pedro to do was give up,' she added.
During this time, his friends would buy him groceries, Balmaceda would give him money to make it through the week, and his college friend, actress Sarah Paulson, would let him use her sister's car and give him her per diem money from her performing jobs.
Pascal also credited his dog with giving him the excitement he was missing.
'[Gretta] saved my life, that dog, because she gave me someone to go home to,' he said.
This year, the award-winning actor reprised his role as Joel Miller in the second season of the HBO's hit series 'The Last of Us' and starred in Celine Song's romance film 'Materialists,' where he plays Harry Castillo, a desirable bachelor.
Pascal will cap off his packed summer by appearing alongside Joaquin Phoenix in Ari Aster's western 'Eddington' and entering the Marvel cinematic universe as Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic, in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' sharing the screen with Vanessa Kirby.
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