Are you upset that Marvel gave Reed Richards facial hair in The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Blame Pedro Pascal.
In the ever-evolving world of superhero cinema, where comic book accuracy often clashes with Hollywood flair, Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of Reed Richards—aka Mr. Fantastic—in Marvel’s upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps has sparked debate for many reasons. But one particular detail stands out: the mustache.
Pedro Pascal at Star Wars Celebration – YouTube, Star Wars
Why does the stretchy genius sport facial hair when his comic book counterpart is famously clean-shaven? According to Pascal himself, it’s simple—he hates how he looks without it.
The revelation came during a face-off in LADbible’s “Agree to Disagree” video series, where Pascal teamed up with his Fantastic Four co-star Vanessa Kirby to debate life’s pressing questions, including the eternal mustache vs. beard showdown. Pascal, known for his signature scruff in roles like Din Djarin in The Mandalorian and Joel Miller in The Last of Us, didn’t mince words about his grooming preferences.
Pedro Pascal at the Cannes Film Festival – Photo Credit: Gabriel Hutchinson Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
“I grow such s**t facial hair, but if I were to shave it all off… I really look very [awful],” he said. “Strongly disagree with a clean shaven me.”
He even cited a past trauma: his villainous turn as Maxwell Lord in 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984. For that role, directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot, Pascal went fully clean-shaven—a decision he regrets to this day.
“I was so appalled by the way I look in Wonder Woman 1984,” he said. “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.”
A screenshot of Pedro Pascal dancing suggestively with a rainbow colored rod suggestively at an event – X, @pascalarchive
Thankfully for Pascal (and perhaps his precious self-esteem), the team behind The Fantastic Four was more accommodating. Many have accused Marvel of not caring about comic book accuracy anymore, and it would appear that catering to a star’s fragile ego and vanity was more important to the once powerful studio than giving scores of comic book fans a faithful adaptation.
“If they asked me to be clean shave for Fantastic Four and insisted then I would’ve done it,” he admitted. “But it was a very collaborative creation for all of our looks in the movie.”
The result? Reed Richards with a mustache. A Reed Richards that looks more like Pedro Pascal than Reed Richards. It was a choice that’s ruffled some feathers among die-hard Marvel fans who cling to the character’s smooth-faced depiction in the comics.
Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby – YouTube, omeleteve
Pascal is no stranger to fan scrutiny. Speaking to Vanity Fair, he acknowledged the backlash surrounding his casting.
“He’s too old. He’s not right. He needs to shave,” he noted, sounding off the laundry list of complaints longtime comic book fans have had since the day his casting was announced. “I’m more aware of disgruntlement around my casting than anything I’ve ever done.”
Pascal, and presumably his precious facial hair, are already locked in for a return as Reed in next year’s mega-event film, Avengers: Doomsday and presumably in its sequel in 2027 Avengers: Secret Wars.
Pedro Pascal on SNL – YouTube, Saturday Night Live
As The Fantastic Four gears up for its theatrical debut, the question remains, will fans embrace this hairy twist on a classic character, or will it stretch their suspension of disbelief too far?
One thing’s for sure: Pedro Pascal isn’t shaving anytime soon.
How do you feel about Reed Richards having facial hair because Pedro won’t shave? Sound off in the comment section below and let us know!
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