Pedro Pascal Caught Getting “Touchy-Feely” With Willem Dafoe’s Wife in Resurfaced Video
Some online critics have had enough of the 'Fantastic Four' actor's affectionate gestures.
Published July 28 2025, 11:14 a.m. ET
If you've been chronically online for a while, you likely remember the iconic Antoine Dodson's meme-able phrase, "Hide yo' kids, hide yo' wives." While Antoine had a completely different reason for his 2010 viral warning, the song has recently become fitting for , especially in the 'hide yo' wives" department.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps star has been spotted leaning on his co-stars and friends during anxious moments, such as being on the red carpet. Totally normal, right? When considering that Pedro is one of the most popular movie stars on the planet, paired with the fact that his friends tend to be mostly female, his affinity for holding their hands or engaging in other public displays of affection has understandably stirred up some controversy.
Amidst Pedro's controversy, a resurfaced video suggested that he seeks emotional support from any nearby woman, including his friend and his The Great Wall co-star, Willem Dafoe's wife. Here's the scoop.
A video of Pedro Pascal touching Willem Dafoe's wife's face went viral.
In July 2025, a January 2024 video of Pedro attending Willem's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. During the video, Pedro kneeled next to Willem while he unveiled his star. When they got up, Pedro smiled at Willem before turning around to hold Willem's wife, Italian screenwriter Giada Colagrande's face, and stroked her chin as she smiled in his direction.
While Willem also initially smiled at Pedro, the actors had a brief exchange, which made some fans wonder if he told him something along the lines of, "play with everyone else's wife, but not mine." Willem further insinuated that he wasn't a fan of Pedro's affection for his wife, as his smile instantly turned into a frown when he turned his attention to the other guests at the ceremony, including Patricia Arquette.
Fans debated if Pedro Pascal went too far with Willem Defoe's wife, or if he was simply being himself.
The video of Pedro and Willem's wife quickly circulated online, and online users had plenty to say about it. Several users felt Pedro saw no issues with him being his affectionate self, while others felt he was once again not respecting the people around him's boundaries.
"What is this forced Pedro Pascal hate all of a sudden?" one fan asked. "This video is literally from like a year ago."
"Pedro Pascal's touchy-feely moments are really something else, but I can't look away," another mentioned.
"Why tf did he do that?" a commenter asked.
Other commenters mentioned how Pedro wasn't giving Giada special treatment at Willem's ceremony. Later during the event, Pedro also kissed Willem on the lips, further showing he's close friends with the couple. However, Pedro's past overly affectionate moments with other women, including his Fantastic Four co-star Vanessa Kirby, with whom he had several affectionate moments in interviews and on the red carpet, have some people wondering if his anxiety conveniently strikes when he's in the presence of beautiful women.
Despite the controversy surrounding Pedro's behavior, the actor has been candid about his struggles with anxiety. Vanessa also defended his actions in a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair, stating they've both supported one another by holding hands at San Diego Comic Con.
"What happened is we were both incredibly nervous going out in front of thousands of people who love this comic," she explained to the outlet. "He wanted me to know that we were in this together, and I found it a lovely gesture and was very glad to squeeze his hand back."