Pedro Pascal Feels Like He’s “Going Blind” in His Mandalorian Armor; “A Head-to-Toe Glove with Weights on It.”

It’s safe to say that Pedro Pascal has become an international treasure since the first airing of Disney’s The Mandalorian. A spinoff of the beloved Star Wars franchise, the show takes place after the fall of the Galactic Empire and before the rise of the First Order.

It follows a bounty hunter and his ventures through the galaxy after taking a bounty that would change his reputation forever. It’s here that Pascal helps bring the story to life. His role as fan-favorite Din Djarin has brought joy to many, but as they say, one must suffer for art; and suffer Pedro does. In an interview with media outlet Empire, Pedro fondly recalls how he “can’t see shit” within the famed Beskar outfit he dons so well. In fact, one might consider it a blessing he hasn’t been wounded while on the job. The life of a gunman is dangerous, but so is blindly wandering around set with the only visual slit available being fogged up but your own breath. That is just what one must go through to bring one of the greatest on-screen characters to life.

Please Keep Pascal Away from Holes

The Mandalorian is lauded for its visually stunning appearance, thanks to the minds of Emmy and Oscar winning Production Designers, Andrew L. Jones and Doug Chiang, along with hundreds of other art associates that worked to painstakingly hard to ensure that the Star Wars spinoff was a visual masterpiece to rival (and in some cases surpass) the movies. One of the most immersive factors, however, are the costume designs of the leads themselves, specifically Pedro Pascal’s titular main character. As of now, Pascal has yet to injure himself (key word: yet), and he recounted how it felt to wear what he calls “a head-to-toe glove with weights on it” for three straight seasons and a Boba Fett spinoff.

One of the simple yet genius key factors to the character’s success is the iconic helmet. It’s a blank slate to hide the emotions of the lead, forcing the audience to make their own conclusions based off Pascal’s stellar acting. “It puts you in the world so completely, and instantly makes the character feel real,” Pedro described when asked about the helm, “but you can’t see shit!”

Pascal continues by describing how the crew have made improvements to his costume both for story purposes and for his own comfort. This is except for the visor, his only way of being able to see. “It’s like you’re going blind,” he joked. “If there’s a hole, I’m gonna fall into it.” To have the Mandalorian end in such a fantastically lame way such as tripping and falling into a pit would be a disappointment that would rival the death of Boba Fett, who was famously whacked with a stick and fell into a Sarlacc pit. Thankfully the crew have done everything short of binding Pedro in bubble wrap to make sure that he is kept safe and always looking badass for the camera. “When it’s on,” he remarks fondly, “you immediately feel powerful, protected, dangerous, and like a protector.” Despite his grievances with the lack of peripheral vision (or just vision in general), it’s a joy to know that he has just as much fun playing the Mandalorian as we do when watching him on screen.

The Show in Review

When the trailer for the third season of Disney’s hit show dropped, each iteration received millions upon millions of views worldwide. The fourteen-time Primetime Emmy winning production is widely loved and is said to be what really brings the Star Wars franchise back to life in a new yet nostalgic fashion. This is in no small part to the creative minds of Jon Favreau, his co-writers and art directors, and the dedication of the cast to their roles. Most notably, as previously stated, is the always-blind Pedro Pascal. Hopefully the large amounts of success and praise being thrown at his feet is enough to soften the landing whenever he does inevitably trip.

Rarely has there been an episode that didn’t sit right with the audience at home, and the trend continues to this day. Season three of The Mandalorian hit home screens on March 1^st of this year, to much fanfare and praise from critics and viewers alike. We are excited to see how the story of Din Djarin and his valuable little green companion unfolds as each episode is released.

Resources:

1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8111088/