Pedro Pascal has become a lightning rod on social media for “groping” his co-stars – at least, according to the internet. The Fantastic Four actor’s so-called “hot girl anxiety” is fueling endless memes: the idea that he calms himself by touching attractive women has now landed him in serious trouble.

In recent days, Pedro Pascal’s omnipresence in the film industry has thrown him into a raging debate where much of the public seems to have found a perfect target. His consistent displays of affection towards Vanessa Kirby have sparked questions: just how acceptable is it for a married, pregnant woman to be the object of such advances?

Some say it’s nothing more than a nervous tic in front of the cameras and press – a coping mechanism for anxiety – while others insist these gestures cross the same red lines that have been called out in other, similar cases with different actresses. As always, the truth is far more complicated.

Behind the Pedro Pascal Phenomenon

At the end of 2024, The New Yorker captured the Pedro Pascal craze perfectly. In a comic strip, a regular person sits with a therapist and says, “It’s not at all strange. Lately, a lot of people explain that their faith in humanity depends on whether Pedro Pascal is as nice as he seems.” The idea that a Hollywood actor can’t possibly be perfect – especially after so many recent scandals – has made people search for any secret flaw hiding behind the camera.

Photos of Pascal hugging, holding hands, or being affectionate with Kirby are, for many, the first crack in that perfect image. Some argue his “anxiety” is just an excuse, a hidden agenda to get close to the women he works with. That’s why so many men condemn his behavior, while a vocal group of women claim it only happens around his more attractive colleagues.

In reality, Pedro Pascal has never spoken openly about this “anxiety” or the supposed need for physical contact. The entire meme traces back to a single interview with Bella Ramsey, his The Last of Us co-star, where Pascal touched his chest and said: “I put my anxiety here.” That soundbite has been endlessly recycled, fueling the idea that the Fantastic Four actor needs physical contact, his own or someone else’s, to stay calm.

Building on this meme, the affectionate gestures toward his Marvel co-star – which Kirby reciprocates – have only cemented the story that Pascal needs hugs to battle nerves. Thanks to social media, the narrative of vulnerability, anxiety, and warmth around women spreads like wildfire, while nobody stops to question how true any of it is.

The fact is, Pascal has never publicly discussed this supposed anxiety, and the idea is only kept alive by viral memes, not by hard evidence. If, by some chance, it were true, psychology would support him: studies show self-hugging or stroking your own skin reduces cortisol and lowers stress, and that affectionate touch from a trusted partner lowers blood pressure and encourages relaxation – but this effect disappears when the other person is a stranger.

With no evidence that Pascal actually needs such “regulation,” the whole discussion has become a pretext: every move he makes is either excused or weaponized. The real problem is that, in the absence of context, we tend to imagine hidden agendas or romantic interests in situations like those between Pascal and Kirby, searching for drama that society seems to expect as the only explanation.

Add some scandal and outrage to the mix, and the most moralizing or extreme interpretation always wins out. Nobody stops to ask whether this could just be two friends who trust each other – nothing to do with some heteronormative attraction. In the end, we don’t know if Pascal has anxiety or is attracted to Kirby; what could be simple affection and trust is inevitably twisted into something else, because society insists on seeing it that way.

Source: 3djuegos