Pedro Pascal Wishes Chris Evans Had Called Him Before His Mandalorian Debut
Since 2019, Pedro Pascal has been playing Din Djarin, the titular character in Disney+'s "The Mandalorian." However, casual viewers likely won't recognize the actor from the popular "Star Wars" series. And it's because Pascal has spent nearly the entirety of the series wearing a helmet, which means that some people will likely recognize his voice rather than his face.
When facing an unknown challenge for the first time, it helps to reach out to someone who's dealt with a similar situation. Perhaps there's another huge Disney-affiliated actor who has experience wearing a helmet for long periods of time on set that could provide some solid advice to Pascal.
Sitting down for an interview with Pascal, BBC 1 Radio asked if he had spoken to any other actors with extensive experience donning headgear during production. The outlet specifically brought up Chris Evans, who plays Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though the character doesn't sport a full mask, Evans' eyebrows are often hidden underneath his helmet.
Unfortunately, Cap never spoke with Mando prior to the premiere of the series. When BBC 1 Radio made mention of Evans, Pascal crossed his arms and playfully pouted, "It would have been nice if Chris had called me." In the end, however, Pascal simply expressed his desire to meet his fellow cowled compatriot.
So it seems that although it's primarily a vocal performance and one that didn't require the help of a superhero, it still takes a bit of work to pull off.
It's not easy for Pedro Pascal to slip into the Mandalorian voice
While Chris Evans as Captain America was the first of the two to act with a helmet, Pedro Pascal has had a bit more of a challenge. Since his helmet covers his entire face, Pascal's performance relies primarily on his voice, and even that isn't easy for the Chilean actor.
Apparently, when asked if fans recognized his voice, Pascal confirmed that although people do, he's not entirely convinced because he doesn't speak in the same way as Mando. Though it sounds like the voice comes naturally to him, especially after nearly four years playing the character, it's still no easy feat for him to slip into the voice. According to Pascal, the character's voice and cadence requires a lot more effort than people realize. "There's a lot of work that goes into creating a convincing bedroom voice," he intimated. "It's surprisingly isn't something I can do on command."
Throughout the three seasons of "The Mandalorian" and part of "The Book of Boba Fett," Pascal has had to perform wearing a helmet because the character is supposed to never remove his helmet. According to the Way of the Mandalore, Mandalorians may not remove their helmets in front of another living being, with the punishment for doing so being expulsion. Though most members of the race no longer subscribe to the creed, Din Djarin belongs to a group of zealots who remain devoted to it no matter what, which is the primary reason why the series' unofficial catchphrase is "This is the Way." And thus, for the time being, Pascal's perpetual helmet hair and bedroom voice will have to be the Way.