Before Pedro Pascal shared the screen with the likes of Nicolas Cage or became the Mandalorian star he is today, actress Sarah Paulson ensured he had money to survive; believing in her friend in a heartwarming Hollywood story.
Global (14 April, 2023) — Pedro Pascal is finally having his moment in the sun after decades of hard work, wondering whether he’d actually make it and worrying that his time had passed, not unlike Jennifer Coolidge.
Today, Pascal (48) is known all over the world as the Mandalorian, and has starred in other hits like ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘Narcos’. In film, he recently shared the screen with Nicolas Cage in the ‘Incredible Weight of Massive Talent’, and people across generations have chosen Pascal as their new favourite actor.
But, we all get by with a little help from our friends, and Pedro Pascal was no exception.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Pascal opened up about life in the early 2000s when he was still a struggling actor and putting food on the table was served with a side of distress.
The interview brought to light that actress Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), a longtime friend of Pascal was part of the reason he was able to keep the dream alive, by paying part of his way with her own earnings in the early 2000s.
“He’s talked about this publicly, but there were times when I would give him my per diem from a job I was working on so that he could have money to feed himself.” —Sarah Paulson.
A per diem is a kind of wage or allowance that staff get whilst working, usually for living expenses; no small feat for any actor to share whilst building their own career.
As a friend whose rooted for him for years, the actress continued: “You just want him to succeed.”
“This was not somebody Hollywood sweated to make a star,” added Craig Mazin, co-creator and executive producer of the ‘Last of Us’ of Pascal’s journey.
“They didn’t keep him out, but they didn’t drag him along, either; they just sat there with their arms crossed. And he fought all the way, and every single time, he connected.” —Craig Mazin.
Stories like Mr Pascal’s are shining examples that actually, there isn’t always a timeline on making our dreams work. And, acts like Paulson’s remind us that the kindness friendships hold can carry us to those very dreamy places.