Pedro Pascal reveals the “psychotic” method he uses to learn his lines, and it's pretty strange to say the least (2024)

By Megan Garside

published

You’ll never guess who he compares himself to…

Pedro Pascal reveals the “psychotic” method he uses to learn his lines, and it's pretty strange to say the least (1)

The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal is known for being a little quirky at times, but the way he learns his lines has got to be the most unhinged thing about him so far.

In a recent fundraiser for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Pascal revealed that he memorizes his lines by writing down the first letter of each word in a sentence, kind of like a ransom note or what you would see from the illusive serial killer in Zodiac. Pascal found a physical example of his handy work and showed the interviewer a page from his notebook filled with letters and dashes in columns.

"This is like a psycho, first letter of every word. You see the letters, right? Basically, I'm the Unabomber," Pascal jokes in the video, whilst trying to explain his unconventional learning methods to three other actors. "You use the first letter of each in these towers or columns, I guess, and it's this very, very tedious way of making yourself learn the line so that you're not making choices. It's not even sort of artistic, it's just this really technical way I've had to acquire because of that terrible experience of forgetting my lines."

As unconventional as his methods may be, the internet is loving Pascal’s humor and candidness. “Pedro, where were you on December 20th, 1968?” jokes one Twitter user whilst another added, “Just pointing out that this is exactly how Reed Richards would memorize lines as well,” in reference to Pascal’s upcoming role as Richards, A.K.A. Mister Fantastic, in Marvel’s Fantastic Four.

As part of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations series, Pascal was interviewed alongside his fellow nominees for the SAG Awards 2024’s Outstanding Performance by Male Actor in a Drama Series, including The Morning Show’s Billy Crudup, and Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen and Kieran Culkin. Macfayden went on to share that his co-star Culkin learns his lines inhumanly fast, in the sense that he can read the script and absorb the words almost immediately.

We will see Pascal next in HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us season 2 where he reprises his role as Joel Miller.

For more, check out our list of upcoming movies and upcoming TV shows heading your way in 2024 and beyond.

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Megan Garside

Editorial Associate, GamesRadar+

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for SFX and Total Film online. I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Production and Journalism and a Masters in Fashion Journalism from UAL. In the past I have written for local UK and US newspaper outlets such as the Portland Tribune and York Mix and worked in communications, before focusing on film and entertainment writing. I am a HUGE horror fan and in 2022 I created my very own single issue feminist horror magazine.

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Pedro Pascal reveals the “psychotic” method he uses to learn his lines, and it's pretty strange to say the least (2024)

FAQs

Pedro Pascal reveals the “psychotic” method he uses to learn his lines, and it's pretty strange to say the least? ›

In a recent fundraiser for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Pascal revealed that he memorizes his lines by writing down the first letter of each word in a sentence, kind of like a ransom note or what you would see from the illusive serial killer in Zodiac.

How does Pedro Pascal memorise his lines? ›

The "Mandalorian" actor then explained that he jots down the first letter of every word and turns them into a cipher to help jolt his memory when recalling his lines without looking back at a script. "You just use the first letter of each word and in kind of these sort of towers, these, columns, I guess," he explained.

What personality type is Pedro Pascal? ›

Pedro Pascal Personality Type. Pedro Pascal is an INTJ, Aries, and Enneagram Type 4w5.

Has Pedro Pascal got a wife? ›

Pedro Pascal has never been married, but he has been romantically linked to a few of his co-stars over the years. Learn more about 'The Last Of Us' star's love life here.

What does Pedro Pascal believe in? ›

Pascal identifies as an agnostic and a progressive liberal. He endorsed leftist Gabriel Boric in the 2021 Chilean presidential election.

What personality type is P? ›

Judging (J) and perceiving (P) are opposite ends of the personality spectrum in relation to how a person approaches the outside world. Individuals who are judging-oriented are structured and make formal decisions, while perceiving-oriented individuals tend to plan less and adapt better to change.

Is Nicole Kidman an INFJ? ›

Nicole Kidman, as an INFJ, tends to be perceptive and intelligent, and they have a strong sense of empathy for others. They typically rely on their intuition to understand others and identify what they actually think or feel.

Does Pedro Pascal have tattoos? ›

His newfound status has also led many fans to rediscover some of his old acting credits, shining a spotlight on Pascal's lesser-known tattoo collection. Over the years, the actor has accumulated seven tiny tattoos that we know of.

Does Pedro Pascal have a religion? ›

Pascal has said that although he doesn't practice any religion, he is no stranger to spirituality.

Does Pedro Pascal show his face? ›

Pascal made the right decision, as much as viewers love the chance to see Din whenever possible. The first time Din's face is revealed in The Mandalorian season 2 is in episode 7 "Chapter 15: The Believer," which sees him taking off his Imperial helmet to get the coordinates to Moff Gideon's light cruiser.

Was Pedro Pascal really a gogo dancer? ›

“I loved it so much that when I finished, I stayed two more months in Madrid, working, going out, going to parties.” He went on to reveal how a chance encounter with a nightclub owner landed him one of his first gigs in the 'entertainment' world…as a dancer!

Do Pedro Pascal and Oscar Isaac know each other? ›

Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal May Be Our Favorite Famous Best Friends - IMDb. Pedro Pascal and Oscar Isaac's friendship goes way back - seriously; the duo met before they were even famous. Pascal and Isaac actually appeared in an off-Broadway play together in 2005.

What caused Pedro Pascal to cry? ›

Jasmila Žbanić, the director of the episode, revealed while speaking to Variety that Pascal cried while filming his emotional scene with Luna so that his fellow actor could get into the character. "He was not on camera, but he was crying because he was giving his partner everything so that he can act.

Does Pedro Pascal know martial arts? ›

I was put into some classes with a master of Wushu, an acrobatic martial art, and they put me with a master, his name is Master Hu, and he has a studio in Los Angeles where he sort of basically showed me the basics and taught me how to fight with a spear and twist my body around and move in ways I never thought ...

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