While promoting his new film at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, actor Pedro Pascal delivered a pointed message against the use of fear as a political weapon, particularly in the context of ongoing immigration debates in the United States.
Pascal was asked during a press event about the treatment of Latin American migrants and the political discourse surrounding them. Though he declined to go into detail, citing a lack of expertise on policy specifics, he affirmed his personal support for asylum seekers and expressed empathy rooted in his family’s own history—his parents having fled Chile’s dictatorship.
The actor cautioned against political strategies that rely on instilling fear, stating that such tactics are designed to silence voices and discourage activism. He urged the public to resist intimidation and continue sharing stories that challenge power through compassion and truth.
Pascal stars in “Eddington,” a pandemic-era Western exploring racial tension and political unrest in a rural New Mexico town. Directed by Ari Aster, the film features Pascal as a conflicted mayor opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the role of a morally ambiguous sheriff.
While Pascal refrained from directly criticizing any specific political figure, his comments were widely seen as a broader rebuke of policies that marginalize vulnerable communities and exploit national anxieties for political gain. His appearance has ignited conversation about the responsibility of public figures in shaping civic awareness and confronting fear-based narratives through art and advocacy.