Pedro Pascal: From Chilean Exile to Hollywood Superstar

THE HIDDEN LIFE OF HOLLYWOOD'S HOTTEST HEARTTHROB: PEDRO PASCAL'S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET

Pedro Pascal, the hunky star of The Last of Us and The Mandalorian, has been making waves in Hollywood with his chiseled good looks and charisma on screen. But what you might not know about this charming leading man is that he's had a rather... complicated life off-screen.

Born to Chilean parents who fled their home country due to the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, Pascal's family's journey to America was marked by tragedy and scandal. His father, Jose Balmaceda, a fertility doctor with a shady past, was involved in one of the biggest fertility scandals in history.

FERTILITY FIASCO: THE SCANDAL THAT ROCKED PEDRO'S FAMILY

In 1995, Balmaceda was caught switching frozen embryos of women without their knowledge at his fertility clinic. The scandal, which made headlines in the Orange County Register and dubbed "one of the biggest fertility scandals in history" by ABC News, led to a jaw-dropping exposé that left many stunned.

According to reports, at least 15 live births resulted from the improper transfers, and the clinic was shuttered following the egg-theft scandal. The investigation revealed that nearly $1 million in clinic income had not been reported, with tens of thousands of dollars in cash payments from patients allegedly pocketed by doctors.

BUT PEDRO'S DAD ISN'T JUST A FERTILITY SCANDAL WAITING TO HAPPEN

Balmaceda's troubles didn't stop there. He was later charged with mail fraud and income tax evasion, and his whereabouts were unknown for several years. But in a shocking twist, the New York Times revealed that Balmaceda had managed to restart his life in Chile and continued working as one of the country's top fertility doctors.

It wasn't until 2022 that Balmaceda finally pleaded guilty to tax fraud and surrendered himself to law enforcement. Despite the scandalous past, Pascal and Balmaceda appear to be close, often sharing photos together on social media.

THE SECRET HE'S KEPT FROM THE PUBLIC FOR SO LONG

But what's even more surprising is that Pascal has never publicly addressed his dad's fertility scandal. Instead, he's chosen to focus on the struggles that his parents overcame by escaping Pinochet's regime in Chile.

In a heartfelt SNL monologue, Pascal spoke about their journey: "They were so brave. And without them, I wouldn't be here in this wonderful country, and I certainly wouldn't be standing here with you all tonight."

However, it seems that the wounds of his family's past are still fresh. In an interview with People in 2020, Pascal spoke about the huge impact his mother Veronica had on him: "She was the love of my life. She was always incredibly supportive, never a stage mom. I always felt like she knew something that I didn't."

LOSING HIS MOTHER: THE TRAGEDY THAT SHAPED PEDRO'S LIFE

Tragically, Pascal's beloved mother Veronica took her own life in 1999. The loss had a profound impact on the young Pedro, who has spoken out about the huge void she left behind.

"I think about her every day," he told People. "I don't pray, so I can't say I have a religious practice to feel close to her, but I live for her, even though she's gone."

Pascal has also opened up about the struggles of dealing with his mother's death: "Losing the most important person in your life, discovering that something like this is possible and that what you fear most in life can happen, is an unexplainable and permanent moment. There is a before and after her death."

THE SECRET TO HIS SUCCESS? HIS MOTHER'S INFLUENCE

Following his mother's passing, Pascal decided to take on her maiden name as a tribute to her - officially making his stage name Pedro Pascal.

Despite his many successes in Hollywood, Pascal has kept his personal life under wraps. However, he did reveal that he wants to be a devoted father one day: "I've had dreams of taking my kids to the movies the way my parents took me," he confessed to Vanity Fair.

BUT WHAT ABOUT HIS ROMANTIC LIFE?

Despite endless speculation online about Pascal's sexuality and romantic life, the hunky star prefers to keep his relationships private. However, in a surprising admission, Pascal revealed that he isn't actually a private person: "I'm very unprivate in my private life," he explained.

"I just know that personal relationships are such a complex thing to navigate even without having this enormous lens on them."