Pedro Pascal’s Emmy Nomination Is The Perfect Excuse To Revisit His Breakout TV Show With 89% On RT

July 17, 2025

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Pedro Pascal has been nominated for an Outstanding Lead Actor Emmy for his role in The Last of Us season 2, and this is a perfect reminder to revisit his earlier projects. Pascal is great in The Last of Us — even if the actor’s screen time is significantly diminished in season 2 — and his inclusion among the 2025 Emmy Award nominees highlights as much.

Pascal has blown up in recent years, partly thanks to playing Joel in The Last of Us. However, his lead role in The Mandalorian and villainous performance in Wonder Woman 1984 also turned him into a household name. But Pascal had many great TV roles even before becoming Grogu’s and Ellie’s dads. And his breakout TV role was one of his best, making it a must-watch in the lead-up to awards season.

Pedro Pascal’s Emmy Nomination Is A Reminder To Revisit His Role In Game Of Thrones

Oberyn Martell Is Still One Of The Actor’s Best Characters

Pascal might be known for The Mandalorian and The Last of Us these days, but his breakout TV role was years earlier. The actor received attention and praise for playing the charming but deadly Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones season 4, bringing George R.R. Martin’s character to life impressively.

Oberyn’s fate in Game of Thrones ensured that Pascal’s best TV role didn’t last long — but it changed the trajectory of the show and his career.

Unfortunately, Oberyn’s fate in Game of Thrones ensured that Pascal’s best TV role didn’t last long — but it changed the trajectory of the show and his career. That makes Game of Thrones worth revisiting as we wait to see if Pascal will take home an Emmy for The Last of Us.

Returning to HBO’s fantasy show will allow viewers to experience more of Pascal’s great acting; Game of Thrones certainly highlights why he’s gone on to such an impressive career. But the series also prepared him for his later hits, which have earned him his Emmy nominees. It may not seem connected, but Game of Thrones set the actor up for his later success.

Game Of Thrones Perfectly Prepared The Actor For His Later Hit Series

It Laid The Groundwork For His Roles In The Last Of Us & The Mandalorian

Game of Thrones perfectly prepared Pascal to join The Last of Us, as it gave the actor an opportunity to adapt a beloved character — something he’d come to do again in HBO’s take on the video game. Oberyn and Joel are incredibly different personality-wise, but both require the skill to step into an established character’s skin. And Pascal doesn’t disappoint as either.

Between The Mandalorian, The Last of Us, and Fantastic Four, it’s easy to forget Pedro Pascal’s 2015 Netflix thriller, which is one of his best roles.

You could argue that Game of Thrones paved the way for Pascal to succeed in The Mandalorian, too, as he was already familiar with joining a massive IP that came with hefty expectations. Again, his Star Wars role is leagues different from his Game of Thrones one. But Pedro Pascal‘s performance in HBO’s fantasy series laid the groundwork for everything that came later.