Pedro Pascal credits early Buffy the Vampire Slayer role with allowing him to keep acting

Today, Pedro Pascal is one of the most successful, well-known actors in the world. From his breakout role as Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones through his turn as Din Djarin in The Mandalorian to his award-winning turn as Joel in The Last of Us and beyond to his part as Mister Fantastic in Fantastic Four, the guy is absolutely everywhere. Perhaps this explosion of activity is Pascal making up for the years he spent pounding the pavement trying to get jobs, so now that he's being offered tons of good ones, he's not turning anything down.

Pascal expounded on his long career when talking to Entertainment Tonight at the SAG-AFTRA awards, where he won a Best Actor award for The Last of Us. "My entry-level lasted about 15 years, and we’re talking about not being able to see a doctor, getting sick, getting surgery, being able to pay my rent," he remembered. "I had less than $7 in my account and a residual from Buffy the Vampire Slayer showed up and saved the day, and literally is the reason I was able to stay in it and not give up."

My fellow olds will remember Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a 90s-era horror show where Sarah Michelle Gellar fought against vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. In the premiere of season 4, "The Freshman," that included a young vampire named Eddie played by Pedro Pascal. Watch Buffy stake the 24-year-old Pascal below:

It would be another 15 years before Pascal debuted as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, the part that really got his career off the ground. We're glad he stuck it out, since these days he's one of the most universally liked actors in the business.

I'll also mention, because why not, that Pascal was very drunk in that interview clip. He didn't expect the Best Actor award that night, and freely admitted in his acceptance that he'd gotten proper soused:

That's just another reason the internet has fallen in love with the guy. You'll be able to see Pascal in a sequel to Gladiator in November of this year, and then probably at least once a month in something new after that.

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