Pedro Pascal delivered a strong message about the current political chaos in the US during a recent press conference for Ari Aster’s film “Eddington”. The actor told journalists that “fear is the way that they win” and encouraged people to keep telling their stories, expressing themselves, and fighting for who they are.
Pascal’s comments came after the cast, including Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone, were asked if they were worried about reentering the US after making a film with a strong political message. Pascal said that fear is not a valid response, but rather it’s a tool used by those in power to control people.
The A24 film “Eddington” premiered last night to a five-minute standing ovation and follows a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor in New Mexico during the height of the COVID pandemic. Pascal was also asked about Trump’s immigration policies, but he declined to comment due to his own personal experiences as an immigrant.
Aster wrote the film in a state of fear and anxiety about the world and aims to show what it feels like to live in a world where nobody can agree on what is real anymore. The themes in the script resonated with Pascal so heavily that he felt compelled to be part of the project.
The film has received praise from Variety’s Owen Gleiberman, who calls it a “brazenly provocative Western thriller” that captures the creeping unreality of America’s current state. However, not everyone is pleased with the film, with some critics labeling it as “anti-MAGA garbage”.
Source: https://variety.com/2025/film/festivals/pedro-pascal-america-political-chaos-cannes-fight-back-1236401603