The Mandalorian is taking fans to new places within the Star Wars universe, and they’re seeing all through the eyes (or mask) of Din Djarin. Pedro Pascal’s lead character is a man of few words, but he’s certainly become a fan favorite among many viewers. The character provides a very unique challenge for Pascal, as he’s not always the person in the armor, and even when he is, he can’t show his feelings through his facial expressions. Still, the actor has found key to perfecting his performance as the lone bounty hunter.
In bringing Mando to life, Pedro Pascal draws from his work as a stage actor, which he says helps him from a physical standpoint. And you’d be surprised just how much that experience informs his work on the Star Wars show:
I'm not even sure if I would be able to do it if it weren't for the amount of direct experience that I've had with being on stage to understand how to posture yourself, how to physically frame yourself into something and to tell a story with a gesture, with a stance, or with very, very specific vocal intonation.
Pedro Pascal’s recent comments to EW are interesting and really show that the actor is dedicated to his craft. His efforts aren’t in vain, either, as he does manage to say quite a bit through the tone of his character’s voice and his body language. It’s an impressive feat and one that is vital to the show’s success.
This season of The Mandalorian marked a change for Pascal, as he was reportedly on set and in costume more often than he was during Season 1. With any show of this nature, physicality can sometimes be a challenge for actors. It’s hard to say which scenes were actually performed by Pedro Pascal, but it’s possible that he got to try his hand at something a bit more physically challenging.
Another aspect of Pascal’s performance that’s also remarkable is that he’s been paired up with Grogu (the artist formerly known as Baby Yoda). While the animatronic puppet is adorable, acting against it must bring forth an entirely different set of challenges. Despite this, Pascal works with it well and seems to have formed a tight bond with the baby since being wowed the first time he laid eyes on it. He’s even joked that he’s cool with Grogu soaking up so much attention from the general public.
As time goes on, it wouldn’t be surprising if Pedro Pascal finds other ways to refine his performance as the titular character. Though one has to wonder if Din Djarin will ever decide to remove his helmet on a regular basis, giving Pascal even more room to flex his acting muscles. We’ll just have to wait and see.
The Mandalorian Season 2 drops new episodes Fridays on Disney+.
