Pedro Pascal Reveals He Was “Dead Asleep” While Filming His Gruesome ‘Game of Thrones’ Death: “Best Part Of The Day”

Somehow, Pedro Pascal made one of the bloodiest scenes of his career sound like a lovely experience.

The beloved television star appeared on this week’s episode of Hot Ones from First We Feast, where he opened up about some of his most iconic work. Pascal revealed that one of his most violent television appearances turned out to be a “very cathartic” experience.

“I got my head crushed in. It was the best part of the day,” he said. 

Before he stole hearts as Joel in The Last of Us or starred in the Netflix hit Narcos, Pascal appeared in Season 4 of Games of Thrones as Oberyn Martell, the lustful prince of Dorne who travels to King’s Landing for Joffrey Lannister’s wedding. He ends up volunteering to fight the merciless Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane as Tyrion Lannister’s champion in a bid to exact revenge for his sister’s murder.

Oberyn almost successfully defeats him until The Mountain manages to overpower him and crush his eyes, resulting in one of the show’s most memorable (and disappointing) deaths.

Despite his name, Pascal said The Mountain (played by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) was “the gentlest guy ever.”

Björnsson had piping that pumped cold fake blood onto Pascal’s face as they acted out the gruesome scene, he said, explaining, “There were all of these fleshy bits that they were placing all over my face and pumping blood so that it would pool and spread through the amphitheater for this good wide shot of the two of us from above.”

He said he was “dead asleep” because he had to stay still for the scene. Pascal described the combination of the cooling blood against the hot, long days of filming as “the most relaxing” sensation. “It was very cathartic, and I went into the deepest sleep I’ve been in,” he said. 

Right before diving into another spicy chicken wing with Hot Ones host Sean Evans, the actor says he realized that may have been just what he needed. 

“I realize now that, because I’m not a very good sleeper, I need to be laid down, with pieces of flesh, gelatinous, cool to the touch, face meat, and pooling blood,” he joked. “And maybe I’ll finally get a good fucking night’s sleep!”