Before he became Reed Richards and Din Djarin, Pedro Pascal spent years working as an extra in Hollywood. He played small roles in TV shows, theater productions and in minor films. His had a rather slow start in his career, but things started to change after he got the role of Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones.
Pedro Pascal’s Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones was a show-stealer, a performance that turned him into a star overnight. pic.twitter.com/PoSnkqmtqS https://t.co/FfDIS0g3aF
— cinesthetic. (@TheCinesthetic) March 2, 2026
At the time, Pascal was still looking for a major breakthrough. He had been acting for years but hadn’t yet landed a role that could really change his career. Around this time, he helped a student prepare an audition for Game of Thrones. The script they were working with included scenes for a new character named Oberyn Martell, a prince from the southern kingdom of Dorne.
As he read through the script, Pascal felt like the character was a perfect match for him. Oberyn was confident, quick-witted and even dangerous, but also charming and fun-loving. He connected with the role right away. Therefore, after helping the student, he decided to record his own audition.
The tape was not anything fancy and was rather pretty simple. Pascal recorded the scene on an iPhone and sent the video to his agent. He brought out the character’s confidence and intensity, which was exactly the kind of thing the second Martell son would do. The casting team noticed that immediately.
Soon, the audition tape reached the producers of Game of Thrones. They were looking for someone who could capture Oberyn’s bold personality as the character was meant to stand out in a show already full of interesting figures. Pascal’s audition did exactly that.
After watching the tape, the producers wanted to see more of Pascal, following which he traveled to meet the team behind the show. At the time, he believed that he was still competing for the role and expected another round of auditions. However, the producers told him that he had already been chosen to play the role of Oberyn Martell.
From that point, Pascal started preparing for the role right away. The character of Oberyn was known for his skills with a spear and his impressive fighting style. Pascal trained to use the weapon and practiced the movements repeatedly, sometimes even using everyday objects at home to rehearse.
When Oberyn Martell finally appeared in Game of Thrones, the character immediately made a positive impression among viewers. Even though the character only appeared for a short time, he quickly became a fan favorite.
10 years ago, pedro pascal shifted something in the air with his performance as oberyn martell. pic.twitter.com/BmCzI2LRB5
— dee (@everpascal) April 6, 2024
Perhaps more importantly, the role changed Pascal’s career forever. After Game of Thrones, he didn’t have to look back as bigger opportunities started coming his way. He was then seen in shows like Narcos, The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us.
