Pedro Pascal worried about whether calling out J.K. Rowling's transphobia actually helped

In April, Pascal deemed the Harry Potter author's celebration of the U.K.'s anti-trans ruling "heinous LOSER behavior."

By Emma Keates | June 24, 2025 | 1:33pm

Photo: Toya Sarno Jordan/Getty Images for Disney

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Pedro Pascal worried about whether calling out J.K. Rowling's transphobia actually helped

Speaking out for what you believe in is often challenging, even for those who’ve had a lot of practice. In April, the U.K. Supreme Court passed a bigoted ruling stating that trans women aren’t legally considered women and trans men aren’t legally considered men. J.K. Rowling, who poured tens of thousands of pounds into securing that result, unsurprisingly celebrated her “victory” with a glib social media post, writing, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

In the comments of a separate Instagram post, Pedro Pascal correctly deemed Rowling’s response “heinous LOSER behavior.” Rowling’s defenders, also unsurprisingly, weren’t too happy about that, and tried to paint Pascal as someone who silences women. A vocal minority also tried to spin a viral clip where Pascal took Vanessa Kirby’s hand at a Comic-Con Fantastic Four panel into some sort of evidence that he was overly familiar with his female co-stars.

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The backlash did get to Pascal. The Materialists actor briefly felt like “that kid that got sent to the principal’s office a lot for behavioral issues in public schools in Texas feeling scared and thinking, What’d I do?” he told Vanity Fair in a new cover story. But Pascal’s own feelings on the matter weren’t his main concern. “The one thing that I would say I agonized over a little bit was just, ‘Am I helping? Am I fucking helping?'” he recalled. “It’s a situation that deserves the utmost elegance so that something can actually happen, and people will actually be protected. Listen, I want to protect the people I love. But it goes beyond that. Bullies make me fucking sick.”

Pascal’s loved ones were quick to defend him. “It is heinous loser behavior,” his sister, Javiera Balmaceda, told the outlet. “And he said that as the older brother to someone saying that our little sister doesn’t exist.” Pascal’s other sister, Lux, who he’s called “one of the most powerful people and personalities I’ve ever known,” came out as trans in 2021. “My protective side is lethal,” the actor said of their relationship in the same 2023 interview with Esquire.

Kirby also spoke to VF on Pascal’s behalf. “What happened is we were both incredibly nervous going out in front of thousands of people who love this comic,” she said of the misinterpreted panel clip. “He wanted me to know that we were in this together, and I found it a lovely gesture and was very glad to squeeze his hand back.”

Pascal wasn’t the only actor to speak out against the U.K.’s ruling. In the aftermath, more than 400 performers including Pascal’s The Last Of Us co-star Bella Ramsey, Bridgerton‘s Nicola Coughlan, Babygirl‘s Harris Dickinson, and more signed an open letter condemning the decision. I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu also signed the letter, a gesture that rings largely hollow considering he just signed on to play Severus Snape in HBO’s new Harry Potter series, a project that will funnel even more money directly to Rowling (who serves as an executive producer) and her anti-trans crusades.

You can read the full text of the open letter here.