50-year-old Pedro Pascal gave a heartfelt response to age-related criticism of Reed Richards’ role
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Marvel’s new Reed Richards opens up
Pedro Pascal isn’t letting age-related criticism stop him from giving a stellar performance in Marvel’s First Family.
The 50-year-old actor recently spoke about the backlash that followed his casting as Reed Richards in “Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
When the criticism touched him differently
Though Pascal usually shrugs off appearance-related comments, he admitted this particular response affected him more than usual.
“Sometimes the outside world finds you, no matter how much you try to protect yourself,” Pascal said at a fan event in London.
“My nerves were higher than normal, and I was a little more sensitive to people’s love for these characters.”
Pressure to deliver a good performance
As the third (and eldest) actor to fully play Reed Richards, after Ioan Gruffudd and Miles Teller, Pascal feels the weight of fan expectations.
“It’s very important to me that expectations are met,” he explained.
“The only way to do that is to give my full attention, my heart, my body and my soul — that was the best I could do.”
Stepping into big shoes
The “Game of Thrones” stars don’t shy away from the challenge of reviving Marvel’s First Family after mixed reactions to previous adaptations.
“It was really intimidating,” Pascal told Entertainment Weekly. “I relied on the people around me to keep me grounded in the experience and help me get through it.”
Finding the family chemistry
Director Matt Shakman stressed that casting wasn’t just about finding individual stars, but about creating believable relationships.
“It wasn’t just about finding the best Ben and the best Johnny, but who was the best family? The best married couple? Who were the best siblings and honorary uncles?” Shakman explained.
Fantastic Team
Pascal is led by Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/The Thing).
Julia Garner joins as Silver Surfer, Ralph Ineson as Galactus, while Marvel veteran Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom.
Set in a retro-futuristic 1960s alternate universe, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” will be released in theaters on July 25, with plans further to connect these characters to the main MCU timeline.