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The internet has found its latest meme, and netizens can’t stop themselves from talking about it. Hollywood actor Pedro Pascal has gone viral while promoting his latest film, The Fantastic Four, for all the wrong reasons. His recent interactions with co-star Vanessa Kirby during the press tour have sparked criticism from the audience, who claim that his method of physical touch to cope with social anxiety is getting out of line.

The actor has been open about his struggle with anxiety and mental health. During an interview with Men’s Health, Pascal talked about how he manages his anxiety by engaging with other people. In 2023, he told his The Last of Us co-star Bella Ramsey that he copes with anxiety by placing his hand on his chest or staying close to someone in a stressful situation.

Pedro Pascal was earlier praised for his transparency in sharing his battle with anxiety, but questions have now been raised about whether the actor is selective in the situations where he is seen coping with his anxiety by staying close only to his female co-stars. Many have rebranded the 50-year-old actor as the face of “hot girl anxiety,” a term describing someone who feels anxious or nervous around people they find highly attractive.

Vanessa Kirby, who plays the role of Sue Storm—Pascal’s wife in Fantastic Four (2025)—spoke about him during the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con, saying, “He has been open about his anxiety, but the way he holds your hand or anchors you? That’s him being protective, not anxious.”

While some praised Pascal’s ability to share his vulnerability with the world, some netizens were quick to call out the actor for not maintaining personal space with his female co-stars in a professional setting. Amidst the actor going viral for his interaction with Kirby, an old video of Pascal has resurfaced from a Walk of Fame event in 2024, where he is seen holding actor Willem Dafoe’s wife, Giada Colagrande’s, chin for a second. Many viewers reacted to the gesture as inappropriate and crossing a line.

Pascal’s sudden rise—from playing side characters to leading roles like Joel Miller in The Last of Us (2023) and Reed Richards in Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)—is seen as a remarkable journey. His growing prominence in Hollywood, boosted by his charming and down-to-earth personality on the internet, has fuelled his popularity even more.

Pedro Pascal-themed comical memes are everywhere—from spacing out while eating a sandwich to laughing and crying back-to-back—some of the most widely shared GIFs on the internet today. [Rh/VS]

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