Maxwell Lord is Pedro Pascal’s second and most successful attempt to enter the “Wonder Woman” universe.
Pedro Pascal in “Wonder Woman 1984”
© Warner Bros. / Courtesy of the Everett Collection
Pedro Pascal performs a chewing scene as the villain Maxwell Lord in “Wonder Woman 1984”, but it seems that the role is far from the first time that the “Mandaloriano” favorite appeared in the DC Comics universe. In the early days of his acting career, Pascal landed a supporting role in David E. Kelley’s much-talked about 2011 TV pilot for “Wonder Woman”. Pascal played Ed Indelicato, a police detective who was Diana Prince’s link to the LAPD. The cast included Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman, Tracie Thoms as Etta Candy and Justin Bruening as Steve Trevor.
While the “Wonder Woman” series was perhaps the most excited pilot going into production for the 2011-2012 TV season, NBC rejected the series. It was a shock for fans of comics at the time, but then the rumor spread that the pilot was almost a disaster and the network made the right connection, but did not choose for the series. Pascal would have much better luck with “Wonder Woman” nine years later in the wake of Patty Jenkins, but he reflected on his first attempt at the comic book franchise in a recent interview with Variety.
“It was like a dream come true,” said Pascal about getting a role on the NBC program. “David E. Kelley’s influence on television when I had just finished college was so great, and I watched every episode of [Palicki’s series] ‘Friday Night Lights.’ I also thought it was good or not, it would definitely be chosen. It would change my financial situation significantly, even if it was half a season before it was canceled. But it was not even detected. I went back to procedural, you know, ‘CSI’ and such. I had a very bad year after that interest in terms of sporadic work. “
Given the global popularity of the “Wonder Woman” brand, Pascal cannot be blamed for assuming that NBC would get the show, whether it was good or bad. Unfortunately, the driver who failed did not prove to be the financial watershed or career boost Pascal needed at the time. Did Jenkins and “Wonder Woman 1984” know about the past of Pascal’s “Wonder Woman” when casting him for the role of Maxwell Lord? The actor said he doesn’t think so.
“It didn’t really occur to me, which is kind of crazy,” said Pascal. “They must not have known or cared. Yes. I’m not sure, but it’s like an anecdotal thing that has gone through them completely. “
“Wonder Woman 1984” is now showing in theaters and broadcast on HBO Max.
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