What Is the Pedro Pascal Crying Meme From?
The Pedro Pascal “laughing then crying” meme shows the actor cracking up with laughter and then sliding straight into tears — used as a reaction to things that are funny and sad at the same time.
Where it came from
The clip is from a 2020 virtual play reading, a benefit performance for the Cape Cod Theater Project (a reading of I, My Ruination) around the week of July 21, 2020, which also featured Paul Giamatti. In character, Pascal goes from hysterical laughter to crying — and that emotional whiplash is the whole appeal.
How it became a meme
It took off on TikTok in early 2021, usually paired with “Space Song” by Beach House, as a reaction to sad or ironically sad videos. By May 2021 it had spread to Instagram and the wider internet.
Two common mix-ups
- It’s not from The Last of Us. Some SEO blogs claim the image is a still from the HBO show’s episode 3. It isn’t — the real source is the 2020 stage reading.
- The “crying while eating a sandwich” image is a different meme, tied to a separate interview clip. Don’t confuse the two.
Why it works
Pascal commits so fully to both extremes that the clip captures the exact feeling of laughing to keep from crying — peak “it’s funny but it actually hurts.”
Source: Know Your Meme.
FAQ
- Where is the Pedro Pascal crying meme from?
- From a 2020 virtual benefit play reading for the Cape Cod Theater Project, where Pascal shifts from hysterical laughter to crying in character.
- When did it go viral?
- It spread on TikTok in early 2021, often set to 'Space Song' by Beach House, and reached Instagram around May 2021.
- Is it from The Last of Us?
- No. Some blogs wrongly claim it's a still from The Last of Us episode 3; the reliable origin is the 2020 stage reading clip.
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