10 Best Pedro Pascal Movies and TV Shows, Ranked From Worst to Best

2025 is Pedro Pascal‘s year. The actor has become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars, leading several projects and building a varied career that flows easily between drama, action, comedy, and even sci-fi. With a totally charismatic and memorable presence, he’s won over audiences in both big productions and small ones, showing he can bring depth to any kind of role. Pascal has made his mark on pretty much everything he’s touched lately – whether he’s standing out in a movie, carrying a show on his back, or elevating a simple scene with subtle moves and smart choices.

Here are 10 of Pedro Pascal’s best movies and TV shows, ranked not just by the production, but mainly by his performance. More than just a fan-favorite actor, he’s proven to be someone who truly transforms whatever material he’s given – and this list breaks down exactly how and why that happens.

10) Eddington

Pascal tries hard here, and it’s not a bad performance, but there’s just not much to save in Eddington overall. Playing Mayor Ted Garcia in a messy political satire, he delivers something safe and controlled, which ends up being a problem given how over-the-top everything else around him is. It’s one of those cases where the acting itself is fine, but the project just doesn’t hold up, whether because of the script, direction, or overall tone. Pascal does his best to keep some dignity in the chaos, but he’s stuck in a role with no real arc and zero room to shine.

On top of that, audiences basically ignored Eddington. There were a few reviews, but nothing strong enough to generate any kind of real buzz (even with Ari Aster directing). Unlike other roles where Pascal steals the scene even with limited time, here he’s just there – and that’s it. The impact is close to none.

9) Prospect

Perhaps one of Pascal’s most underrated works is Prospect, an indie sci-fi movie that some people only checked out after finding out he was in the cast. In the film, he plays Ezra, an opportunistic mercenary, and gives a solid performance – especially considering the limited budget and the more stripped-down style of the production. He does a nice job balancing a threatening presence with a bit of vulnerability, landing somewhere between villain and reluctant ally. Still, it’s a role that calls for restraint, and there aren’t any big dramatic moments or standout lines.

The only issue here is that Pascal isn’t really the centerpiece of Prospect, since the focus stays on the main character, and he ends up more in a supporting role. Most people who watched it liked what he did, but it’s not the kind of performance that caught on with fans or helped push his career forward. It’s a decent watch for anyone curious about his range, but it doesn’t stand out as one of the must-see roles in his filmography.

8) Materialists

Materialists isn’t a film that landed the way it was supposed to, but one thing that really stands out about Pascal’s casting is how it highlights something people don’t always notice: he knows how to shift gears. Here, he takes a different route: a modern romantic comedy (or at least, that’s how it was marketed) filled with fast-paced dialogue and a charismatic lead with just the right amount of mystery. As Harry, a billionaire tangled in a love triangle, he’s consistently relaxed and likable. He also happens to be the only one in the cast who seems at ease, especially when others get stuck in overlong monologues and pointless detours.

The response to Materialists was lukewarm, and that dragged the movie down a bit. Still, Pascal walked away without a scratch. A lot of people didn’t care for the film, but pretty much everyone agreed that he was the only one who looked like he knew what he was doing. It’s not a complex role by any means, but it’s another example of how he can lock into a tone and elevate it, even when the material isn’t great. In the context of his filmography, it’s a solid middle-of-the-pack performance – enjoyable, versatile, but ultimately forgettable.

7) The Fantastic Four: First Steps

The plain truth is that playing Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps was a tough gig: hardcore fans, the legacy of the franchise, and the danger of falling into a flat, flavorless version of the character. But Pascal avoided disaster by giving Reed a more grounded and emotionally mature take, far from the generic “brilliant but cold” scientist from earlier iterations. There’s a quiet sensitivity in his performance, especially in scenes where the character wrestles with doubt, even if the script doesn’t fully commit to digging deeper (especially with more attention going to Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm).

What holds First Steps back in this ranking is that Pascal’s version of Reed just didn’t connect with audiences in a big way. It’s a solid performance, but also a little too safe. There’s no big standout moment, no burst of charisma that defines his take as the definitive one. He does his job well, but the movie seems more focused on setting up future MCU plans than on making these characters shine in the present. It works for what it is, but it won’t be the first thing people remember when talking about his best roles.

6) The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Stealing the show – that’s exactly what Pascal does here. In The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, he’s up against a chaotic and self-aware Nicolas Cage, and still manages to stand out with ease. His character, Javi, could’ve easily become a walking stereotype as the eccentric superfan with too much money and not enough sense, but Pascal gives him charm and depth. He doesn’t overplay the humor, instead grounding the role with an oddball sincerity that ends up making Javi more likable than Cage’s exaggerated version of himself.

The chemistry between them is a huge part of why the movie works, and why so many people ended up loving it. Their bromance gave the internet plenty to meme, but also showed that Pascal has untapped comic timing that deserves more screen time in his career. It’s not a role that demands emotional range or heavy drama, but it proves he can carry a weird concept and make it feel natural. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent was an offbeat project, but Pascal nailed exactly the energy it needed – and that’s what made it land.

5) Gladiator II

It would have been easy for Gladiator II to fall into the trap of grandiose action without emotional depth, but Pascal manages to avoid this. As Marcus Acacius, a traumatized general with divided loyalties, he brings a quiet gravitas to the film. His performance is controlled, almost minimalistic, but effective – he lets silence and posture do the heavy lifting in most scenes. Rather than trying to steal the spotlight, Pascal plays into the weight of the story, adding tension through subtle choices and a constant sense of inner conflict that grounds the spectacle around him.

The script clearly favors the younger leads and the large-scale set pieces, limiting his arc to something more functional than fully fleshed out. Still, Pascal leaves a mark. Even with less screen time, critics noticed him, and his role ended up being one of the most praised aspects of Gladiator II. It’s not one of the most iconic performances in his career, but it proves again that he knows how to make the most of what he’s given, especially when working within the machinery of big studio productions.

4) Narcos

Pedro Pascal as Javier Peña is what really gave soul to the last seasons of Narcos. His performance is marked by a slow, impressive evolution, starting out as the typical tough agent but gradually showing exhaustion, guilt, and frustration. It’s a slow burn where each episode chips away at the character, making his choices more complicated. The show has a lot of strong characters, but Peña is one of the few who actually gets real emotional depth.

Narcos is probably one of the series that boosted Pascal’s career the most, giving him way more visibility (and audiences really connected with the character). He ended up carrying a big part of the plot in the final seasons, but more than that, the production was the turning point that moved him from “supporting actor” to leading man. If he’s dominating Hollywood now, a big part of that is thanks to his journey on this show. It’s not his most explosive role, but it was key in showing what he’s capable of and getting him where he is today.

3) Game of Thrones

How does such a minor character manage to stand out so much in a huge show with a strong main cast? In Game of Thrones, Oberyn Martell only appears in one season, but Pedro Pascal made such an impression that it’s still remembered as one of the best character introductions in the whole series. He shows up with this mix of arrogance, sensuality, and self-righteousness that takes over every scene he’s in. From the very first moment, it was clear he owned the role; and his physical and emotional commitment in the fight with The Mountain (Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson) became one of the show’s most unforgettable moments.

Even with limited screen time, Pascal built a fully rounded character who had a big impact on both the story and the fans. If Narcos put him on the map, Game of Thrones made him an international name – and for good reason. Oberyn is so memorable because Pascal played him with intensity, style, and perfect timing. Few characters in the show got introduced and written off with such impact that people still talk about them years later.

2) The Mandalorian

At this point, we’ve reached one of the most special projects in Pedro Pascal’s career. His work as Din Djarin in The Mandalorian is basically a masterclass in how acting under restrictions can reveal a truly great performer. For most of the series, he’s stuck behind a helmet with no facial expressions (even though parts of it were performed by a stunt double), yet he still manages to communicate complex emotions using just his voice and body language. The character became a Star Wars icon not just because of Baby Yoda, but because Pascal brought real humanity to someone who could’ve easily been just another action figure with robotic lines. That’s a rare skill.

Every long-running show has its ups and downs, and yes, The Mandalorian isn’t exempt from that, but Pascal has been the steady constant throughout. He kept his performance solid even when the scripts faltered, building a silent, empathetic, and layered lead. This role showed off a surprising range in his acting and helped him become a familiar face for a whole new generation. It’s definitely one of the standout moments of his career so far.

1) The Last of Us

The number one spot has to go to The Last of Us. As Joel, Pascal delivered the most complete and emotional performance of his career so far. Right from the first episode, he brings a raw mix of pain, coldness, and buried affection to the role. Sure, the chemistry with Bella Ramsey holds a big part of the story together, but Pascal shows that silence and introspection can be just as powerful as any action scene. You connect with him right away, even when the show’s second season starts dividing opinions.

Critics aren’t wrong in calling his performance one of the most impactful on TV in the last few years. Unlike other roles where he leans more on charisma, here Pascal gives Joel real vulnerability. It’s not an easy character, since he’s complex, morally gray, and emotionally fragile, but the actor handles it all so naturally that it feels like the role was made for him. It’s safe to say The Last of Us is the peak of his career, and probably the role he’ll be best remembered for years to come.

What is your favorite Pedro Pascal role? Let us know in the comments below!

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