Pedro Pascal’s Early Talent Left Matt Damon Gobsmacked

Long before Pedro Pascal was a regular fixture in blockbuster films, he managed to turn heads with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it part in The Adjustment Bureau. Back in 2011, he played a minor character—a Maitre D’—in the George Nolfi-directed film, which starred Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. At the time, neither Damon nor Blunt had any idea who Pascal was, but his performance stuck with them.

During a recent chat on The Howard Stern Show, Damon recalled the moment he and Blunt first noticed Pascal’s knack for acting. The role was so small it was mostly cut from the final edit, but the impression Pascal left was anything but forgettable. Damon shared,

I did a film with Emily Blunt called ‘The Adjustment Bureau’, and there was this throwaway part of a Maitre D’. It got cut out of the film. But I remember Emily and I went and sat down, you know, and this Maitre D’ walked away…We both looked at each other, and Em goes, ‘That guy’s really f*cking good.’ I said, ‘Yeah, what the f*ck. That guy was really good.’ There was something just incredibly interesting but real and natural…And years later, found out it was Pedro Pascal.

At that stage, Pascal’s CV included only a handful of small roles in films like Sisters and I Am That Girl. Still, his natural presence was already turning heads, even if most punters didn’t know his name yet.

Reuniting on The Great Wall

Years down the track, Pascal and Damon found themselves working together again, this time on the monster epic The Great Wall, directed by Zhang Yimou. Unlike their first encounter, Pascal now had a much meatier role, playing Pero Tovar, a Spanish mercenary alongside Damon’s William Garin. The pair, locked up by imperial Chinese forces, end up joining the fight against a bizarre alien threat.

Reflecting on their time together, Pascal told Access Hollywood, “He’s one of the best blokes I’ve ever met.” He admitted to being a bit starstruck when Damon first introduced himself on set, recalling,

And so, it was a special experience for me because I was in my makeup chair…putting on this disgusting wig and beard and stuff that you see in the film, and he rolled in to say hi and introduced himself. I was starstruck.

Pascal also remembered their earlier meeting on The Adjustment Bureau, convinced Damon wouldn’t recall it. To his surprise, Damon did, even recalling a joke Pascal made that got a laugh during filming.

I had two lines in one of his films; he totally remembered. He was like, ‘You made me chuckle, you made me laugh when I sat down. And you made a joke when you sat me down, and I drink from the water, and you said something, and I spit out…’

Pascal couldn’t resist a bit of cheek, sending a message to Damon’s long-time mate Ben Affleck: there’s a new best friend in town.

Pascal’s Blockbuster Run and What’s Next

By 2025, Pascal was everywhere. He starred in Eddington, Materialists, and made his Marvel debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Fans were keen to see him tackle such a range of genres, and his turn as Renaldo on Saturday Night Live was a particular highlight for many locals.

Looking ahead, Pascal is set to return to his much-loved Star Wars role in The Mandalorian and Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau and due out in May 2026. He’ll also be back in action for Avengers: Doomsday, joining his Fantastic Four crew for another round of superhero antics, with a release set for December 2026.

On top of that, Pascal is leading Tony Gilroy’s drama Behemoth, stepping in after Oscar Isaac’s departure. He’ll be joined by Eva Victor, Olivia Wilde, and Matthew Lillard, though David Harbour has exited the project due to personal reasons. There’s no word yet on when it’ll hit cinemas.

From stealing scenes with just a couple of lines to headlining some of the biggest projects in the industry, Pascal’s journey has been anything but ordinary. Which of his upcoming films are you most keen to see?