Pedro Pascal is the A-list star of the moment, having captured people’s hearts with his recent portrayal of Joel in The Last of Us.
Part of the reason why he’s the internet’s darling is not just because of his long line of impressive roles (see his work in Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian, and Gladiator II, to name just a few), but also because of his charming personality away from the camera too.
In interviews and social media, Pascal is known for speaking his mind, not least in speaking up on behalf of the trans community, with both words and clothing.
Pascal has a personal connection to the trans community through his sister. Here’s a closer look at Lux Pascal, who also has an acting background – and once acted alongside her brother.
Who is Lux Pascal?
Lux Pascal is an American-Chilean actress and transgender activist, born in California to Chilean parents, José Balmaceda Riera and Verónica Pascal Ureta.
She is therefore a member of the Balmaceda family, a politically influential family that were part of the Castilian-Basque aristocracy. However, her parents were exiled from Chile after the 1973 coup because her mother was a cousin of Andrés Pascal Allende, a leader of the Chilean Revolutionary Left Movement.
Lux is the youngest of four siblings, including actor Pedro Pascal, who is 18 years her senior.
In 2010, Lux began studying theater at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. and went on to graduate from Juilliard School with an MFA in acting in 2023.
In February 2021, Lux publicly came out as transgender, changing her name, including her surname to her maternal one.
Who is Lux Pascal’s partner?
Lux has been in a relationship with fellow actor José Antonio Raffo since 2011.
Known for roles like A Fantastic Woman (2017), Perdona Nuestros Pecados (2017), and Pobre Gallo (2016), Raffo is also from Chile, born in 1992.
What are Lux Pascal’s biggest roles to date?
Lux made her on-stage acting debut in Pablo Rotemberg's play La noche obstinada, while also landing her first television role that same year.
She appeared on Canal 13's series Los 80, playing Axel Miller. Lux followed this up with a number of TV appearances, including 2015’s Juana Brava, and 2016’s soap opera Veinteañero a los 40 on Canal 13.
Also in 2016, Lux made her film debut in 2016 in Prueba de actitud, directed by Fabrizio Copano and Augusto Matte.
In 2017, Lux appeared in an international series for the first time, playing the role of Elijah in the third season of the Netflix series Narcos, working alongside her brother Pedro for the first time.
Her most recent credits took place in 2019, when Lux participated in three Chilean films: No quiero ser tu hermano, directed by Sebastián Badilla; Ella es Cristina, directed by Gonzalo Maza; and The Prince, directed by Sebastián Muñoz.
