Pedro Pascal’s first screen appearance as a vampire on Buffy helped save his career (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Before Pedro Pascal became the galaxy’s favorite bounty hunter, he was just a broke actor with a dream and a vampire cameo on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yep, long before The Mandalorian or The Last of Us, Pascal showed up in a single episode of Buffy as a college freshman named Eddie who, in classic Buffy fashion, gets turned into a bloodsucker and dusted just minutes later. It was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role, but one that saved his career in more ways than one.
Pascal, credited as Pedro Balmaceda back then, landed the role in the Season 4 premiere titled The Freshman. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight (via Hola!), he said, “I had less than $7 in my account and a residual from Buffy the Vampire Slayer showed up and saved the day, and literally is the reason I was able to stay in it and not give up.”
From Vampire Fangs to Fan Royalty: The Buffy Cameo That Came Full Circle
That one gig didn’t just keep Pascal afloat. It became a full-circle moment years later when Sarah Michelle Gellar shared a behind-the-scenes photo from the episode with the caption: “When mother met father.” (Gellar has since embraced “mother” status after being declared queer royalty by her fans.)
Pascal was floored. In an Access Hollywood (via CNN) chat, he said, “What I just found out — which I am very excited about, and I can’t wait to get my phone back so that I can look it up myself — is that Sarah Michelle Gellar remembers me.” He even recalled her giving him ice cream during a late-night shoot on UCLA’s campus.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer might’ve only given Pascal one scene to shine, but it played a huge role behind the scenes. Brought to life by Joss Whedon and debuting in 1997, the series became the very cornerstone of feminist and queer TV. For Pascal, it also marked the start of a two-decade grind, bouncing through roles in Game of Thrones, Narcos, and finally finding superstardom in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us.
Today, Pascal’s a beloved icon with a fierce LGBTQIA+ following. He’s starred in queer-centric films like Strange Way of Life and Drive-Away Dolls, and remains openly supportive of his sister, Lux Pascal, and the broader trans community.
And to think, it all started with a vampire bite and a residual check.
