Pedro Pascal discusses his role as a cellist in the new film "Behemoth!", directed by Tony Gilroy and premiering at the New York Film Festival on October 2. Pascal reveals that learning to play the cello for the movie was extremely challenging, calling it "the hardest thing I’ve ever done creatively." He mentions taking lessons intensively for several weeks before filming began, emphasizing both the physical and mental challenges involved in mastering the instrument quickly.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Pedro Pascal said that learning to play the cello for his new movie Behemoth! was "hell" and the hardest thing he has ever done creatively. The film, written and directed by Tony Gilroy, premiered at the New York Film Festival on Friday, October 2. In the movie, Pascal plays Alex Serian, a renowned cellist who returns to his hometown of Los Angeles to care for his sick mother. Though initially playing in prestigious orchestras, he takes up less-prestigious work as a studio musician for Hollywood film scores. At a press conference following the premiere, moderated by New Yorker critic Justin Chang, Pascal and Gilroy were joined by cast members Eva Victor and Will Arnett. The movie will open in select U.S. theaters on December 4.
Written for “Pedro Pascal Cello Challenge” on 2026-10-05,
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Yes, Pedro Pascal is really playing the cello in his new movie Behemoth!, which premiered at New York Film Festival on Friday, October 2, and will open in select U.S. theaters on December 4.
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which → play → December
And yes, it was very difficult for him to learn.
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him → learn → ?
Written and directed by Tony Gilroy (who is Oscar-nominated for his 2007 legal thriller film Michael Clayton, but is perhaps best known these days as the creator and showrunner of the critically-acclaimed Star Wars series, Andor)
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who → write → series
Behemoth! stars Pedro Pascal as Alex Serian, a renowned cellist who returns to his hometown, Los Angeles, to care for his ailing mother.
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who → star → mother
Though he’s been playing orchestras all over the country, he takes a less-prestigious gig as a studio musician for Hollywood film scores.
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he → play → scores
On Friday morning, Gilroy and Pascal joined cast members Eva Victor and Will Arnett at a press conference, moderated by New Yorker critic Justin Chang, following the world premiere press and industry screening at New York Film Festival on Friday morning.
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Gilroy → join → morning
When asked by an audience member if learning the cello overlapped with any of Pascal’s other projects, the actor responded with a laugh, “It overlapped with learning my lines for the movie!
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It → ask → movie
“The cello was the main character of my life for several weeks leading up to shooting,” Pascal explained.
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Pascal → lead → shooting
“I took it with me everywhere—Tony’s advice.”
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I → take → advice
As for the question as to whether anything surprised him during the learning process, Pascal replied, “Everything surprised me.
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Then, the physical challenge of it, the meticulousness around it, and having to fast-track things—like, you’re supposed to spend a year learning how to hold the bow correctly.
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you → have → bow
I had a week.
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I → have → week
And then we had to get into the bowing, and the vibrato.”
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we → have → bowing
In the first conversation Pascal had with Gilroy, the director asked Pascal, frankly, if he was up to the challenge of learning the cello.
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he → have → cello
“We didn’t have much time, so it was a real come-to-Jesus meeting,” Gilroy said with a laugh.
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Gilroy → have → laugh
Like, look we don’t have much time.
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we → look → time
This is what we need.
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we → need → what
This is what you need.
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you → need → what
If you can’t do it, then the only wrong answer is ‘yes,’ if you don’t really mean it.”
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you → do → it
Pascal jumped in: “He was like, ‘Are you going to be able to it?’
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you → jump → it
I was like, ‘I don’t know!'”
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I → know → ?
“Right answer!” Gilroy said with a laugh.
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Gilroy → say → laugh
Pascal said that his “I don’t know” attitude stayed with him for the entire filming process.
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attitude → say → process
“That took us all the way to Vienna, when I had to cram in Mozart for the last scene,” Pascal said.
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Pascal → take → scene
“It was a joy, but it was the hardest thing that I’ve done, creatively, for a part.
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I → do → part
Behemoth! will be in limited theaters starting Friday, December 4, 2026.
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Behemoth → start → Friday
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