Five times Pedro Pascal proved he’s the ultimate LGBTQ+ ally as he’s announced as Oscars presenter
Pedro Pascal wearing his ‘Protect the Dolls’ shirt. (Getty)
Pedro Pascal has been added to the list of presenters for the 2026 Oscars, which is set to air Sunday, March 15.
Alongside Pascal, the star-studded list of celebs who will be taking to the stage on the night includes Nicole Kidman, Channing Tatum, Rose Byrne, Jimmy Kimmel, Delroy Lindo, Ewan McGregor, Wagner Moura, Sigourney Weaver and father-son duo Bill and Lewis Pullman, according to PEOPLE.
The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal is particularly beloved by the LGBTQ+ community for his unwavering LGBTQ+ allyship, which includes his tireless and outspoken support for his trans sister, Lux Pascal.
To mark this latest feather in Pedro Pascal’s already very feathery cap, we thought it would be a great time to look back on some of the many times he’s come out swinging for the queer community. Enjoy!
When he wore a ‘Protect The Dolls’ T-shirt to his 50th birthday bash
In April 2025, Pascal was spotted celebrating his 50th birthday alongside his sister Lux Pascal, and trans DJ Honey Dijon. In one photo from the event, Pascal is spotted posing alongside Dijon wearing a T-shirt which reads: “Protect The Dolls”.
“Dolls” is a commonly used term among the LGBTQ+ community to describe transgender women. The term has its roots in Ballroom culture. American fashion designer Conner Ives who created the T-shirt, which he first wore at the end of his runway show at London Fashion Week back in February 2025.
All proceeds from the T-shirt, which costs £75 ($99), go to Trans Lifeline, a US-based and trans-led charity organisation which provides emotional and financial support for trans people. Orders poured in thanks to the support Conner Ives received from celebrities like Pedro Pascal.
When he shut down paparazzi questioning LGBTQ+ stories in The Last of Us
In March 2023, The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal had some frank words for a paparazzi asking why LGBTQ+ storylines are important.
The post-apocalyptic hit has featured some stirring episodes dedicated to queer love stories. In one episode, Bill and Frank (Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett) are perhaps the only survivors of the cordyceps pandemic who live a long, happy life. The two die in each other’s arms in a brilliant subversion of the “Bury Your Gays” trope.
In a viral video clip, the actor can be seen shutting down some extremely basic questions from a TMZ reporter who questions the legitimacy of the show’s LGBTQ+ storylines.
“Can I ask: what do you say to the people who don’t want to see the LGBT character love stories?” the photographer can be heard asking Pascal as he moves away from his car in West Hollywood. In reply, Pascal opts for a firm but fair: “They do!”
In another clip, Pascal returns to his vehicle where the reporter continues with the same puerile line of questioning. “Why is it so important that LGBTQ+ characters are on TV shows?” he asks.
Pascal then bluntly responds: “I think you’re asking the question because you know why it’s so important.”
When he posted the Progress Pride flag on Instagram
In the same month, March 2023, Pascal also shared a powerful message of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
The actor took to social media with images of the inclusive LGBTQ+ flag flying in the wind alongside the caption: “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind”.
The caption is a nod to the iconic Bob Dylan song “Blowin’ in the Wind”, which became an anthem for the civil rights movement in the ’60s. His The Last of Us co-star, Bella Ramsey, who herself identifies as gender fluid, commented: “Love Love Love” along with the pride and trans flags.
The post was also met with praise from other celebrities, including trans activist Munroe Bergdorf, who called him “King Pascal”, and Queer Eye‘s Jonathan Van Ness, who commented with clapping hands and heart emojis.
When he called out JK Rowling
In April 2025, Pedro Pascal called out Harry Potter author JK Rowling for celebrating the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that women refers to ‘biological women’ only under the Equality Act, therefore excluding trans women.
The ruling followed legal action by gender-critical group For Women Scotland, who had Rowling’s backing.
After the verdict was announced, Rowling posted a photo on social media showing her celebrating with a cigar and a cocktail. “I love it when a plan comes together,” she wrote, before stating her husband has dubbed the announcement date ‘TERF VE Day’.
In one viral video post, writer Tariq Ra’ouf branded her celebration “serious Voldemort villain s***”.
He went on to say: “[It should be] our mission as the general public to make sure that every single thing Harry-Potter-related fails.
“That means posting in every Harry Potter TV show update, in every article, that trans rights are human rights, that trans women are women. It means not buying a ticket to Universal to see Harry Potter World.
“That awful, disgusting s*** [the celebration], that has consequences”.
And Pascal agreed. “Awful, disgusting s*** is exactly right. Heinous loser behaviour,” he wrote in response.
When he introduced his trans sister to the world with a heartfelt message of support
The Mandalorian star lovingly introduced the world to his sister Lux as she publicly came out as trans in 2021.
In a heartwarming Instagram post, the then-45-year-old uploaded a photograph of Lux’s cover for the Chilean magazine Revista Ya, where she opened up about her transition.
“My sister, my heart, our Lux,” the Chilean-born actor wrote in Spanish in the caption, according to PEOPLE.
In the interview, Lux described her brother as the most “important part” of her journey.
“He’s also an artist and has served as a guide for me,” she said. “He was one of the first people to gift me the tools that started shaping my identity.”
She explained that she came out to him over FaceTime, the iPhone’s video chat function, where he “asked me how I felt because I remember he was a little worried”.
Afterward, he said: “Perfect, this is incredible.”
The 98th Academy Awards will air live on ABC and Hulu on March 15, starting at 7 p.m. ET in the US. The Oscars 2026 will be available to watch live and for free on ITV1 in the UK.
