Why Do Fans Think Pedro Pascal Is Gay? Rumors Debunked

   

Pedro Pascal is one of the most beloved Hollywood actors of recent times. Audience love him for his playful, charming, and witty persona that is also backed with immense talent. His short but memorable role in Game of Thrones as Oberyn Martell brought him global recognition, followed by The Last of Us and The Madalorian which further cemented his place in pop culture. 

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us S2 trailer | image: HBO
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us S2 trailer | HBO

However, he’s one of those stars whose personal life is of absolute interest to the masses, especially the subject of his sexuality. Fans are constantly trying to decode his sexual orientation, eager to know whether the Chilean-American actor is gay or sexually fluid. So let’s take a closer look at how Pascal has tackled this aspect of fame while still being entertaining and honest. 

Why Fans Have Come To Believe That Pedro Pascal Might Be Gay

Pedro Pascal gained prominence for playing Oberyn Martell
Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones | HBO

Pedro Pascal’s public persona suggests that he fully embraces queer culture, and LGBTQ+ communities, which became one of the primary reasons for fans to speculate whether he is actually a part of the group. Moreover, his most notable character, i.e., Prince Oberyn Martell was bisexual in the series, which further adds fuel to the rumor. 

The actor frequently uses queer slang on his social media, without hesitation, for multiple posts, such as captioning his Instagram picture with “she complicated.” And as many would know, gay men often address themselves as “she,” because it’s like an inside joke with long-running roots in the drag culture. 

He has also playully referred to himself as “daddy,” in multiple appearances, which is a term that is affectionately used in queer communities. In a Vanity Fair interview, he was asked about the daddy tag, to which he responded cheekily, “Daddy is a state of mind, I’m your daddy.” Pascal’s continuous use of queer terminology has led fans to believe that he’s perhaps hinting towards his own sexual orientation. 

Pedro Pascal’s Private Dating Life

Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon/YouTube

Even though the Pedro Pascal fever has spread across social media, the actor has been private about his personal life. This secrecy around his dating choices has only made people more curious about his preferences. However, the people that he’s been linked to in the public-eye, contradict the claim of Pascal being gay or sexually fluid. 

In the 1990s, he was rumored to be dating actress Maria Dizzia. The duo appeared together in an episode of Law & Order, and as per reports, the two were close to each other for a short period. Years down the line, when his career took off with Game of Thrones, Pascal was purportedly involved with Lena Headey, the actress who played the role of Cersei Lannister. Headey also posted a cute picture of them together on Instagram, with the caption, “Sunshine love,” and that’s when the dating rumors began to surface. 

In 2015, Pascal was seen with Robin Tunney on multiple occasions, including the Emmy Awards. But this could’ve again simply been only a friendship that was blown out of proportion by the media, because during this time, Tunney was already engaged to someone else (via Elle).

Pedro Pascal’s Unwavering Support For The LGBTQ+ Community

Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian | LucasFilm

One of the many reasons that fans love Pedro Pascal is his unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community, and it’s also why he is hailed as their gay icon, regardless of his own sexuality. He is known to have used his platform and influence for greater inclusivity in the entetertainment industry, and also also supported his sister, Lux Pascal, when she announced being transgender (via The Pink News). 

He doesn’t just show-off his open display of solidarity and constant efforts to be an ally to the community to boost his fanbase. Pascal encourages showrunners to include more LGBTQ+ folks in the projects that he stars in, such as The Mandalorian on Disney+. Most fans can tell that his support for the community is not performative, but a genuine reflection of what he truly believes in (via Your Tango). 

He also starred in Pedro Almodóvar’s film, Strange Way of Life, where he played a queer role, which is a statement in itself because it is not common for high-profile male actors to play a LGBTQ+ character on-screen. His participation in the project and association with a well-known gay filmmaker can be seen as another form of support toward the community. 

If we go back to his Game of Thrones days, when he earned a diverse fanbase, Pascal was asked by the Los Angeles Times about a subreddit titled, ‘Gay for Oberyn’ where people expressed admiration for his iconic character, regardless of their sexual orientation. The actor was open minded about the same, and said, “I think it’s all a spectrum, right? Straight men can have—do have—crushes on other men.”

Does Pedro Pascal’s Silence on His Sexuality Mean Anything?

Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal | The Graham Norton Show/YouTube

Rumors about Pedro Pascal’s sexuality have floated on the internet for years, but the actor never paid any mind to them, and hasn’t bothered to address or clarify them. We all know that in today’s world, celebrities often live under the pressure of having to share every detail about their private lives, and if they aren’t sharing, they are at least commenting about the misinformation to correct their public perception. 

However, Pascal’s refusal to not label his sexuality despite all the buzz around it is truy refreshing.

Similarly, Pascal being silent about the rumors seems to be a statement in itself. Perhaps he doesn’t want to clarify anything as it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and he’s completely fine with people labelling him as gay, because he doesn’t see it as something that is less or a threat to his image.