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Google PlayThough he’s been dubbed a “horror hero,” Pedro Pascal admits there is one gig that instilled terror in him: Saturday Night Live.
The Chilean-born actor faced that fear when he made his hosting debut for this week’s episode. Pascal, who stars in the hit post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us, spoke about the experience during a sit-down on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, saying the gig was exciting, but incredibly scary.
“I think it’s the top at everybody’s bucket list,” he said. “I am scared. There’s like a wall of sheer terror I think that you start with, and then it’s such a well-oiled machine, everybody’s so amazing and talented, and they take these, you know, blocks of white-hot terror apart for you with big cue cards.”
Despite his extreme nerves, Pascal pulled off his hosting duties like a pro and delivered an earnest monologue about his journey in Hollywood.
“I spent the last year shooting The Last of Us on HBO,” he said. “For some, HBO shows you get to shoot in five-star Italian resorts surrounding by beautiful people. But I said, ‘No, that’s too easy.’ I want to shoot in a freezing Canadian forest while being chased around by a guy whose head looks like a genital wart.”
Pascal also said it was an honor to be apart of big franchises like The Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and now The Last of Us. He shared a story about getting stopped on the street by a guy who said his son loved The Mandalorian. When the guy asked him to do the Mando voice to his six year old, Pascal had a funny interaction with his son. “I can bring you in warm or I can bring you in cold,” he said jokingly.
Pascal then spoke about being from Chile and having 34 first cousins. “They are very proud of me. I know they’re proud because they give my phone number to every single person they meet,” he said.
The Last of Us has quickly become a commercial and critical success, having garnered 4.7 million total viewers during its Jan. 15 premiere, making it HBO’s second-best debut since Boardwalk Empire. The series, which is based on the 2013 video game of the same name, recently secured a second season.
Fans can also catch Pascal in The Mandalorian Season 3, which will hit Disney+ on March 1.
This week’s SNL episode also featured musical guest Coldplay, marking lead vocalist Chris Martin’s eighth time on the series.
