Pedro Pascal Asked Bad Bunny to Be in Super Bowl Halftime Show but Didn’t Know He’d Be Dancing in the Casita: ‘That’s Why I Seemed Like a Deer in Headlights’

Pedro Pascal didn't wait for a formal invitation to join Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show. The actor, best known for his lead role in HBO's hit series "The Last of Us," proactively contacted the Grammy-winning artist's team himself. In a new interview with Fantastic Man magazine, Pascal revealed his enthusiastic approach: "I wanted to participate in any way – literally a volunteer position, like serving coffee if needed." He explained his deep admiration for the performer, stating, "When it comes to representation synchronized with celebration there’s no one better than Benito [Bad Bunny] at the moment."

Initially, however, his offer was met with silence. After finishing work on Tony Gilroy's upcoming film "Behemoth," Pascal sent a follow-up email with a playful, tongue-out selfie to prove his genuine interest. The tactic worked; he received a callback within 25 minutes. His only directive was to wear beige. On game day, he was pulled from his seat in the stands and brought backstage, where he found himself among celebrities like Cardi B, Karol G, and Jessica Alba. Only then was he informed he'd be dancing. "I started to realize right before they started... 'It’s the Casita. I’m such a fucking idiot. Oh my god, I’m going to be in the Casita,'" Pascal recalled, describing his stunned, "deer in headlights" expression as he was led onto the field.

The conversation also explored Pascal's unique experience of achieving fame later in life. The actor, who celebrated his 51st birthday on April 2, reflected on the pros and cons. "There’s a universal feeling of imposter syndrome," he acknowledged, even joking about the silliness of "a 50-year-old man... dancing in La Casita." Yet, he expressed profound gratitude for his timing. "I’m incredibly grateful for having been a fully developed character before experiencing any kind of large-scale exposure. I’m kind of out of the oven, already baked." His breakthrough role came at age 38, when he was cast as the charismatic and ill-fated Oberyn Martell in the cultural phenomenon "Game of Thrones."

Prior to that success, Pascal's career was a long grind in New York City, sustained by numerous waitering and bartending jobs. "It was paycheck to paycheck," he said, noting that landing a guest spot on a show like "Law & Order" felt like "an enormous score." He credits his sister and friends with frequently bailing him out financially during those lean years. This extended period of struggle is a key reason, experts suggest, why many actors who find fame later often exhibit a notable groundedness and resilience in Hollywood.

Pascal also addressed his signature facial hair, a topic of much fan discussion. He confessed to having "weak, patchy" growth and said the mustache was first cultivated for his role as DEA agent Javier Peña in the Netflix series "Narcos," where it felt period-appropriate. He now clings to "the vanity of having some definition in the face," but noted it would disappear for a role. On a more serious note, he explained his vocal stance on progressive politics as a matter of personal integrity, rooted in decency and compassion. "The idea of the vulnerable being scapegoated and terrorized in this way is unspeakably painful," Pascal stated. "I think staying quiet is the harder path."