Pedro Pascal plays a returning cellist in Tony Gilroy's Behemoth!
Pedro Pascal is back on cinema screens as a haunted cellist in Behemoth!, the new film from writer-director Tony Gilroy.
The film world-premiered at Alice Tully Hall as the centrepiece selection of the New York Film Festival, the central slot in the festival line-up, according to Variety. It is Gilroy’s first feature as a director since The Bourne Legacy in 2012.
Pascal plays Alex Serian. He is a former child prodigy from a family of Los Angeles studio musicians, the players who record Hollywood scores, who comes home after 20 years on tour to record music for films.
The family around him drives much of the story. Hank Azaria plays Alex’s father and Will Arnett plays his brother, while Olivia Wilde appears as Alex’s ex, according to Variety.
Music is built into the structure. The production brought in nine composers to each score a different fictional film within the film. The names include Michael Abels, Emily Bear, Lukas Frank, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Henry Jackman, Nami Melumad and Brandon Roberts.
Many viewers will know Pascal from television first. He played Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones and later starred in Narcos, The Mandalorian and The Last of Us. His recent film work includes Javi opposite Nicolas Cage in the 2022 action-comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, followed by Strange Way of Life, Materialists and Eddington.
The premiere quickly started awards conversation. Gold Derby published instant Oscar predictions for the Pascal drama after its festival debut, while IndieWire published analysis asking whether the role will push Pascal into Oscar contention, as reported by Gold Derby and IndieWire.
Early response has been split but warm. Gold Derby reported an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the review-aggregation site, and noted that IndieWire critic David Ehrlich gave the film a B+, according to Gold Derby. IndieWire called Pascal’s turn quiet, almost silent and reactive. The Hollywood Reporter described the film as a memory drama and a wan character study of a virtuoso cellist, while IndieWire called it a love letter to film music and a movingly atonal character study of a wayward cellist.
For fans, this means a different kind of Pascal role to watch. The history adds context. Pascal was the first Latino nominated for best lead actor at the Emmy Awards since Jimmy Smits in 1999, when Smits was recognised for playing Bobby Simone, according to Deadline. He later walked the red carpet at the 98th Academy Awards, as seen in Reuters pictures from March 2026.
