The blockbusters just keep coming out one after another this summer! Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning kicked things off in late May (sidenote: “The Final Reckoning” would be a great documentary title if/when Scientology crumbles), and then every other weekend in July has welcomed a new tentpole: Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman, and now this Friday, Fantastic Four: First Steps. The four fantastic stars — Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and newly-anointed Emmy nominees Pedro Pascal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach — have been hyping this film on a world tour, and I for one am relieved the movie is finally coming out so that Vanessa can relax into maternity leave already! Though she and Pedro did seem to be having fun during press they did together recently, appearing on LADbible’s “Agree to Disagree” show. The premise is that Pedro and Vanessa are given a simple statement to consider, and they must choose whether they Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree, which they demonstrate by placing a water glass on the corresponding sentiment. Things got really personal for Pedro when faced with the question of which was sexier, mustaches or beards?

Pascal has long rocked facial hair throughout his career, but there was one role that required him to go clean shaven. That would be the villainous Maxwell Lord in “Wonder Woman 1984,” Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot’s superhero sequel that released to theaters and HBO Max simultaneously on Christmas Day 2020.

“I grow such sh-t facial hair, but if I were to shave it all off… I really look very [awful]. Strongly disagree with a clean shaven me,” Pascal said. “I was so appalled by the way I look in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’ I loved the movie, but I was so appalled by the way that I looked that I never have gone back unless it were completely necessary. If they asked me to be clean shave for ‘Fantastic Four’ and insisted then I would’ve done it. But it was a very collaborative creation for all of our looks in the movie.”

Pascal rocks his trademark mustache as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe tentpole, a choice that has sparked a bit of backlash amongst superhero obsessives who are committed to the clean-shaven Reed from the comic books. Pascal, who is no stranger to franchise fare thanks to “The Last of Us” and “The Mandalorian,” previously told Vanity Fair that it was hard to avoid fan complaints when he was cast and he constantly heard: “He’s too old. He’s not right. He needs to shave.”

“I’m more aware of disgruntlement around my casting than anything I’ve ever done,” Pascal said.

As for Maxwell Lord, the “Wonder Woman 1984” role was a one and done stop for Pascal in the previous DC Universe. He’s now playing a major role in the MCU and is already confirmed to be returning as Reed in next year’s tentpole “Avengers: Doomsday.”

[From Variety]

WHO was disgruntled over Pedro’s casting?! I demand that you show yourselves!! The only disgruntlement that should ever be associated with Pedro is when he’s not been cast in something! But no really, it kills me when people get up in arms over someone not being “right” for… a fictional character. A superhero movie isn’t a documentary, it, like most films, is an interpretation of a story. But back to the vital issues at hand: to mustache, or not to mustache; and is Pedro right in his grim assessment of his own clean-shaven visage? I have been on record with some pretty harsh anti-mustache statements in the past. I’ll say this, they are strong character choices! Sometimes it feels like they just end up falling into one of three categories: serial killer, adult film star, or Wilford Brimley. But Pedro really does wear his stache well, and in his case I think shaving it all off ended up being the strong character choice needed for WW 1984. Cause he’s not wrong, it’s not his best look, but it was the best look for the character.

I highly recommend watching the interview! It’s 10 minutes that fly by, and Pedro is a PANIC. At a certain point he just starts moving the glass of water around with his face instead of his hands. And he also commits on camera to assembling the cast of Avengers: Doomsday in a flash mob dance sequence, because of course.

Photos credit: Lounis Tiar/Avalon, IMAGO/Avalon and screenshots from YouTube/Fandango Movie Clips