At the prestigious 2025 Cannes Film Festival, actor Pedro Pascal took a powerful stand on the growing political chaos in the United States. During a high-profile press conference for Ari Aster’s new political drama “Eddington,” the Chilean-American actor delivered a message that reverberated far beyond the French Riviera.
“F— the people who try to make you scared. And fight back. Don’t let them win,” Pascal said passionately, addressing a room packed with journalists from around the world.
Pascal’s candid remarks came in response to a question about whether he and his co-stars were concerned about returning to the United States after appearing in a film so steeped in political commentary. His answer was defiant, emotionally charged, and deeply personal.
The Context: Cannes Premiere of “Eddington” Sparks Political Discourse
The comments were made following the premiere of “Eddington,” Ari Aster’s latest and most overtly political film to date, which received a rousing five-minute standing ovation. The screening left audiences visibly moved — including Joaquin Phoenix, who stars alongside Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler.
Produced by A24, the film is set in May 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in a fictional small town in New Mexico. It explores a brutal standoff between a sheriff (Phoenix) and the town’s controversial mayor (Pascal). Their personal rivalry becomes a flashpoint that ignites wider conflict, turning neighbor against neighbor and echoing the cultural divisions still plaguing America.
“Eddington” has been praised for portraying a society unraveling under misinformation, fear, and hyper-individualism.
Pedro Pascal’s Bold Stand: “Keep Telling the Stories”
During the press conference, the atmosphere shifted from celebratory to deeply reflective when a journalist asked the cast how they felt about the political weight of their film. Pascal didn’t hold back.
✊ “Fear is the way they win,” Pascal began.
“So keep telling the stories, keep expressing yourself, and keep fighting to be who you are. F— the people that try to make you scared. You know? And fight back. This is the perfect way to do so — in telling stories. And don’t let them win.”
This wasn’t a rehearsed line. It was a visceral response, delivered with the sincerity of someone who has lived through political upheaval and understands what’s at stake. Pascal’s passionate defense of storytelling as a form of resistance drew loud applause.
Pascal’s Personal Connection: A Family Fleeing Dictatorship
The actor also opened up about his own immigration story and how it shapes his views today.
“My parents were refugees from Chile. We fled a dictatorship,” he shared.
“I was privileged enough to grow up in the U.S. after being granted asylum in Denmark. If it weren’t for that, I don’t know what would have happened to us.”
Born in Santiago, Chile, Pedro Pascal (born José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal) was just a child when his family fled the brutal regime of dictator Augusto Pinochet. That personal history makes his political perspective deeply informed — and his presence in a film like “Eddington” all the more significant.
“I stand by those protections,” he said. “I want people to be safe and protected. I want to be on the right side of history.”
Ari Aster on Making ‘Eddington’: “I Was Writing From a Place of Fear”
While Pascal delivered some of the day’s most quoted lines, director Ari Aster — known for cult psychological horror films like Hereditary and Midsommar — offered his own insight into the film’s creative origins.
“I wrote this script in a state of fear and anxiety about the world,” Aster admitted.
“I wanted to show what it feels like to live in a world where nobody can agree on what’s real anymore.”
Aster explained that the collapse of a shared societal vision — what he described as a symptom of “hyper-individualism” — became painfully evident during the pandemic.
“COVID felt like the moment where that link [to shared reality] was finally cut for good. I wanted to make a film about what America feels like, to me. And I’m very worried.”
“Eddington,” he explained, is not a typical political thriller. It’s a psychological reflection of America’s fractured identity, told through the lens of an intimate community unraveling under pressure.
Hollywood’s Role in the Resistance: Art as a Political Weapon
Pascal’s insistence on the power of storytelling reflects a growing sentiment in Hollywood — that film and television are not just entertainment, but tools for truth and change.
“This film felt like the first time that we had a mole — like a whistleblower — someone from the inside saying, ‘This is what’s happening.’”
The message in “Eddington” goes far beyond party lines or political allegiances. It aims to capture the lived experience of division, of communities torn apart by misinformation and fear. That’s what drew Pascal so strongly to the role.
The Bigger Picture: Political Tensions and Cannes as a Global Stage
Pascal’s comments and Aster’s direction land in a broader cultural moment. Across the globe — and especially in the U.S. — elections, social movements, immigration, and identity politics have created a climate of uncertainty. Cannes, while a celebration of cinema, has always doubled as a platform for political expression.
This year, with Eddington front and center, the festival is highlighting not just artistry, but activism. It’s a reminder that cinema can provoke thought, spark outrage, and even inspire action.
“We need stories like this,” said a French critic after the screening. “It’s dangerous to pretend art isn’t political. Art is always political — especially when it tries not to be.”
What Critics Are Saying: “Brazenly Provocative” and “Darkly Real”
Variety’s Owen Gleiberman was among the first to publish a review of Eddington, calling it a:
“Brazenly provocative Western thriller” that captures “the creeping unreality of what America’s become.”
He praised the film for its layered, nuanced critique of modern American society, adding that the tone of the movie — though not a comedy — is one of “trepidatious glee” as it dissects how deep the cracks in society truly run.
“Aster doesn’t just show a town in conflict — he shows a world on the verge of collapse,” Gleiberman wrote.
What’s Next for Pascal and the Cast of “Eddington”?
As Eddington continues to draw attention on the international festival circuit, many are wondering how its stars — particularly Pascal — will navigate the inevitable political blowback.
Will the film find theatrical distribution in the U.S.?
Will Pascal’s statements spark political controversy back home?
If anything, Pascal’s Cannes moment has elevated him from celebrated actor to a public figure unafraid to use his voice. His statement, “Don’t let them win,” may well become a rallying cry for creatives and activists alike.
Final Thoughts: Pascal’s Message Resonates Across Borders
Pedro Pascal’s words at Cannes weren’t just a moment of viral theater — they were a reminder of what it means to stand up for truth and expression in times of fear.
“Keep expressing yourself. Keep fighting. Tell the stories. Don’t let them win.”
In an age where silence often equals complicity, Pascal chose defiance — and the world listened.
As Eddington begins its international run and gears up for what could be a major awards season campaign, one thing is clear: the lines between art, politics, and personal identity have never been more blurred — or more important.
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