‘We must be doing something right as a society’: Why the photos of Pedro Pascal walking arm‑in‑arm with a man matter

If there’s anything almost as significant as posting a photo of a kiss on social media to make a relationship official, it’s walking down the street affectionately with someone when you’re a public figure. But that public display of affection takes on a new meaning when the people involved are two men. And even more so when one of them is a major star of film, television, and multimedia — universally regarded as an unexpected sex symbol at 50 and the internet’s favorite “daddy.”

That’s what happened with Pedro Pasca l, captured by paparazzi strolling through the streets of New York arm‑in‑arm with Rafael Olarra, with whom he later watched Wuthering Heights. The images are what they are, and neither of the two has clarified the nature of their relationship: just the pair walking together, in some shots with Pascal holding onto Olarra. Neither has said anything about it, and no one expects them to, but the desire to unravel the enigma that is Pedro Pascal has fueled the debate.

Pascal has never spoken about his love life, but he has always been a great supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, and he has also been applauded for representing a new masculinity that moves away from the macho stereotype, dares to be sensitive, and takes risks on the red carpet. “Whether or not he’s actively aware of how this modern approach to masculinity contributes to his likeness, one thing is clear: he’s setting an example for other men in Hollywood, but most importantly a new generation of Latinx men,” writes Ian Carlos Crawford in Men’s Health.

Whatever the nature of this relationship, the fact that Pascal was seen walking down the street showing affection toward another man has been received as a pleasant surprise. Pedro Pascal has not spoken about his sexual orientation, and it’s likely that no one expects him to, nor considers it necessary. But the symbolic weight of his public display of affection with Olarra is enormous in an industry like U.S. Cinema, and for A‑list stars who, until not long ago, seemed so entrenched in old norms. For decades, a major gay or lesbian star supposedly couldn’t sell a movie, couldn’t attract audiences, and couldn’t fully participate in the collective (and normative) dream that is Hollywood. Today, those walls appear to be coming down.

Óscar Muñoz, co-director of the Business Network for LGBTI Diversity and Inclusion (REDI), talks to EL PAÍS the power of the images of Pascal and Olarra together. “If two men can openly express their affection and closeness in the street, it means we’re doing something right as a society. Those of us in the LGBTQ+ community know this all too well, as we’ve learned to hide preventively for fear of suffering attacks or discrimination, which are still common,” he says.

“It’s crucial to have visible role models, who tend to be more frequent in the art world, but less common in other contexts,” he continues. “When someone comes out publicly or in the workplace, whether as part of the community or as an ally, they are sending a message of courage and confidence, which can encourage others to feel safe to do the same.”

“The fact that Pascal walks around like this with Olarra seems worthy of daily celebration to me, but what saddens me is that it’s still a topic of conversation,” says actor Jorge Suquet. “I worry about all those people who aren’t as well-known as the actor and who don’t dare to be completely free enough to express themselves and live as they please.”

He continues: “The more all kinds of ways of being, loving, and living are normalized, the better it will be for everyone. In the world of acting, unfortunately, there’s still fear, which is paradoxical considering it’s a seemingly liberal and open profession. Because then, when it comes to deciding who plays which characters, many factors come into play, including sexual orientation. We know that many people still hide it because it undeniably limits the roles they can get. Perhaps Pedro Pascal and Rafael Olarra are just friends, but showing this closeness already puts them in a vulnerable position.”

Pedro Pascal told Wired that he felt he wasn’t actually doing enough to support and protect the LGBTQ+ community. “My entire heart is set on, you know, the marginalized underdog. It’s not a choice. Like, how dare anyone not support the people that are deserving of support, and are deserving of protection and need more of it than you do,” he said.

The interviewer remarked that many actors would say that for the sake of their careers, it would be best not to get involved. “This feels like the barest minimum. Like, the barest minimum,” Pascal replied. “My personal hope is to seize the opportunity to be of service in ways that are true. [...] The truth is that I don’t think I do nearly enough.”

As Suquet points out, fear of speaking openly about sexual orientation is still very present in the industry. Actor Fernando Guallar spoke about this recently on the podcast Sabor a queer: “I was very cautious during the early years of my career because I felt it could be a disadvantage when it came to getting certain roles,” he admitted, noting that there used to be a complete lack of role models. “Now there are people who are very open about their sexuality and there are stars, like Jonathan Bailey. His public about his sexuality and his partner, and yet he’s the prince charming everyone wants.”

David Velduque, the podcast’s host, spoke with EL PAÍS about the implications of Pascal’s photos with the Argentine director. “It’s incredibly interesting that we’re seeing the representation of other types of masculinities where being explicitly affectionate with another man is celebrated as something positive. I think it’s very important to have public visibility of two men who are openly affectionate with each other.”

He continues: “These days there’s a lot of talk about the stars of Heated Rivalry and how affectionate they are with each other off-camera. It’s important to have role models who show us that it’s beautiful for two men to touch each other in public and that this doesn’t call into question their masculinity or their sexual orientation. For those of us who grew up without these role models, it’s vital. The representation and visibility through images that show we can care for and love each other in public is beautiful and liberating.”

To conclude, Óscar Muñoz shares an anecdote that serves as a fitting end. “Once, in a radio interview, I was asked what I thought about the fact that a famous Spanish singer had taken so long to come out. I replied that the real question wasn’t that, but rather why he had felt the need to hide it. And the answer is always the same: the fear of not being accepted and the lack of safe spaces and role models.”

That’s why the images of Pedro Pascal walking affectionately with Rafael Olarra matter. Because whether they are friends, lovers, or partners, what’s important is making visible different ways of expressing affection at a time when vulnerability is practically penalized, and when some people — alarmingly, many young people — are trying to revive a deeply toxic and dangerous form of masculinity.

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