You might already be a Pedro Pascal fan from "Narcos" or "Game of Thrones" (let's just say he had an untimely end at the hands of a giant), but the Chilean American actor is one of the stars — along with Matt Damon — of the new Zhang Zimou blockbuster, "The Great Wall."
Pascal told NBC Asian America Editor Traci Lee it was like a dream come true to work in China, a country he's been fascinated by since childhood, alongside one of cinema's most admired directors, Zhang Yimou.
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When asked what advice he has for young people, especially minorities, who want to break into the film industry, Pascal was firm about keeping — and celebrating — one's identity.
"Be yourself and don’t give up, we’re past the time now where you need to sort of change your name or kind of appropriate yourself to a culture that is not your own," said Pascal.
"I went through it as a younger person where Pedro, the name Pedro, didn’t really fit with my face in terms of industry standards," said Pascal. "But I stuck to it and I think that your own uniqueness, related to your own culture and your own upbringing has everything to do with what you have to bring to a part — the very essence of yourself is what people are going to want to see.”
Pascal said we hopefully encourage being as diverse as possible, "so that it reflect the world that we live in."
