Pedro Pascal Worried ‘The Mandalorian’ Wouldn’t ‘Be Compelling’ to ‘Star Wars’ Fans

Pedro Pascal admitted he may have been a little tentative about just how much success “The Mandalorian” could find among “Star Wars” fans.

The “Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” actor and “Narcos” alum leads the hit Disney+ series, which debuted in 2019. Pascal plays bounty hunter Din Djarin, who saves Baby Yoda and ventures on quests throughout the galaxy. Due to its unique plot and episodic structure (plus viral love for Baby Yoda), “The Mandalorian” was a breakthrough for the “Star Wars” canon.

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“I think it was so easy to trust how much Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni love ‘Star Wars’ and [how they’re] taking that love and developing new ways of telling ‘Star Wars’ stories,” Pascal told Entertainment Weekly of signing on to the role. “That’s a big safety net. But there were things, like, will this character be compelling? Will people want to follow him through these adventures? Will the richness of this parent-child relationship really reach everyone?”

He added, “So to see all of that surpass expectation is really exciting.”

Pascal also gushed over the two other actors who don Mando’s beskar armor, John Wayne’s grandson Brendan Wayne and Pascal’s frequent collaborator Lateef Crowder.

“It’s been a collaborative process from the beginning,” Pascal said. “I was given the opportunity to establish physical specificity in some ways at the start of the show, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t observing and picking up from what they’re doing and handing over so much of it as well. They do the heavy lifting.”

Pascal and Crowder worked together on “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” and “Triple Frontier” prior to “The Mandalorian.”

“When I knew he was going to be putting on the suit for this, I was like, ‘Yes! I’m gonna look so cool!'” Pascal joked.

While Season 3 of “The Mandalorian” is set for a February 2023 debut, upcoming Disney+ series “Ahsoka,” “Andor,” and “Skeleton Crew” build out the “Star Wars” episodic installments on the heels of prequel series “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Aside from “Star Wars,” Pascal is confirmed to co-lead HBO true crime limited series “My Dentist’s Murder Trial” alongside “Stranger Things” actor David Harbour. Pascal will also star in HBO’s adaptation of hit videogame “The Last of Us” and is set to play Ethan Hawke’s love interest in Pedro Almodóvar’s “Strange Way of Life” short film.

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