Pedro Pascal Has a Signature Red Carpet Pose To Help Him Combat His Anxiety
Pedro Pascal has leaned on his coping mechanisms and his peers to help mediate his anxiety.
Updated March 24 2025, 2:19 p.m. ET
Actor Pedro Pascal is getting his flowers in Hollywood. After spending nearly two decades playing supportive roles, Pedro has landed roles more suitable for his star power, including The Last Of Us, Gladiator II, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. But behind the charismatic performances and red carpet charm, fans are now taking a closer look at a more personal side of the actor, including his struggles with anxiety.
As conversations around mental health become more prevalent in Hollywood, Pedro has opened up about how anxiety shows up in his life and his work. Here’s what the actor has shared about how he copes, including how a signature pose became one of his coping mechanisms.
Pedro Pascal has been candid about his battles with anxiety and how it affects his fame.
While many of Pedro's fans are stunned to know the heartthrob actor deals with anxiety, he doesn't shy away from discussing his journey with the mental health disorder. He's dealt with anxiety for most of his career and told Deadline in May 2023 during the Last of Us premiere that he's been using a coping mechanism to release some of the anxiety he faces while on the red carpet.
Pedro explained to the outlet how his signature red carpet pose — one where he places his hand a little bit below his chest — is something he created when he feels his anxiety increasing on the carpet.
"You know why?" he explained to his Last Of Us co-star, Bella Ramsey, why he holds onto his chest at the Max show's premiere. "It’s because my anxiety is right here.”
As the Huffington Post notes, Pedro has been photographed using his signature pose at events dating back to the early 2000s. The move seemingly calms him enough to navigate the red carpet and can be a great tool for anyone dealing with anxiety to have in their arsenal.
"Focus on your breathing, put your feet flat on the floor. Smile even if you don’t feel like smiling,” Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, advised in 2017. “Tense your muscles, then let them go, then tense them again and repeat. Relax your body, and a lot of people will find your emotions will follow.”
Pedro Pascal has also leaned on his co-stars when he's anxious in public.
Pedro's relationship with anxiety is something he doesn't manage alone. He thankfully has a support system who helps him when he's struggling in the public eye. During his career, Pedro found support in his Fantastic Four co-star Vanessa Kirby. The pair, attended San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024 when the Pedro's anxiety was beginning to affect him on the event's stage.
In the adorable moment, which was shared on X (formerly Twitter), Pedro and Vanessa stood onstage as Pedro reached out for her hand. His co-star seamlessly took his hand as the interview continued. The co-stars' moment of solidarity was something that fans couldn't get enough of.
"I’m officially starting to cry my eyes out," one user wrote.
"He needs comfort aww," another shared.
Unsurprisingly, Vanessa and Pedro's handsy moment sparked extra attention on their relationship, with some fans noting their exchange seemed less platonic and more like they could've been involved in an on-screen romance. However, the pair have never confirmed they're anything more than co-stars.