Pedro Pascal Blasts 'Butthurt' Color-Blind Casting Critics, Teases 'More Leeway' in Last of Us Season 2

The star of both "The Mandalorian" and "The Last of Us" is proud to be seen as an inspiration or role model for anyone aspiring to make it in Hollywood, including Latinos, LGBTQIA+ (for whom he is a staunch ally), and those who have been grinding in the industry for decades.

While talking with Variety about struggling to accept compliments for his work, Pascal said he just wants "to be able to fulfill the assignment ... it's not necessarily about getting an 'A,' but understanding someone's vision and being a scene partner for somebody."

"If it comes to inspiring somebody else," he added. "Maybe that's the compliment I'm unwilling to recognize. It can make my heart explode a little bit."

Recognition the quality of his work, and more inspiration for Latino performers, could come his way when the Emmys come. He's in the mix with two different lead performances, for the aforementioned "Mandalorian" and "Last of Us," as well as guest comedy actor for "Saturday Night Live."

Should he pick up a trophy for either of his lead performances, Pascal would be the first Latino since Jimmy Smits did it for "NYPD Blue" from 1995-1999, and only the second ever to achieve this honor, after Smits.

While Pascal has been praised for his work on the small screen, one of his genre projects has also fallen victim to the common cry about its color-blind casting. Not only is his own Joel not white like his video-game counterpart in "The Last of Us," his daughter Sarah was portrayed by Black actress Nico Parker.

There has, of course, been even greater outcry for the color-blind casting that led to Halle Bailey being cast as "The Little Mermaid," Rege-Jean Page in "Bridgerton" and just about the entire cast of "Hamilton," among many others. Pascal thinks all these "butthurt" critics just need to get over it.

"I think that the change is really important and that the best way to continue representation is just casting a person into a role that isn’t limiting a character to racial identity," he told Variety. "Especially if it’s an IP we’re familiar with or a book."

That's how Shonda Rhimes -- who famously employed color-bind casting for "Grey's Anatomy," too -- filled "Bridgerton" with such diversity, and its how Steve Toussaint came to portray Corlys Velaryon on "House of the Dragon," and how Idris Elba portrayed Roland Deschain in "The Dark Tower" -- but the less said about that abomination of a film, the better.

"People get so butthurt about this kind of stuff, but who cares?" Pascal wondered. "Because that’s the coolest way of moving the needle is being open about the casting in every way."

The actor offered some hope for fans hoping for a little more tweaking of the main storyline when "The Last of Us" returns for Season 2. Expecting to begin to adapt the much-larger second game in the video game franchise, many fans are hoping it's not too faithful.

"I don't know," Pascal teased. "I think 'Part Two' has more leeway."

Speaking of the video game itself, he noted, "It seemed to be a different immersive experience. While things must happen for the central narrative to occur; it seems it’s a little bit more open. That means I don’t f---ing know."

So it may be more wishful thinking that certain narrative threads can be modified as the story unfolds. With the ongoing WGA strike delaying basically all of scripted television at this point, it's unknown when Pascal will return for HBO's "The Last of Us" Season 2, or Disney+'s "The Mandalorian" Season 4 -- but you can bet fans will be waiting breathlessly when he does.