Pedro Pascal is everywhere lately.
Headlining TV and film’s biggest projects like The Last of Us and Materialists, the 50-year-old actor has had his share of viral moments this year.
Now, ahead of his Marvel debut as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps, Pascal has gone viral yet again for having what his fans have dubbed ‘hot girl anxiety.’
In a 2023 interview, Pascal told The Last of Us co-star Bella Ramsey that he places a hand on his chest or reaches out to someone close to him to help manage his anxiety during high-stress moments, like red carpets and press tours.
But social media users have recently branded his so-called coping mechanism PDA with female co-stars like Vanessa Kirby as ‘creepy.’
However, psychologists speaking with DailyMail.com said physical touch with oneself or another person is ‘one of the most powerful and natural ways’ to cope with anxiety disorders, which affect nearly one in five US adults.
They explained a hug or holding a loved one’s hand releases ‘cuddle hormones’ that help form social bonds and reduce the body’s stress response.
Even putting a hand on your chest stops the release of stress hormones and stimulates the vagus nerve, signaling to the body that it’s time to relax.
Pedro Pascal, pictured here, has said he uses physical touch to calm his anxiety
Fans slammed Pascal and Fantastic Four co-star Vanessa Kirby for being too ‘affectionate’
And while a hug is no substitute for medications and therapy for those suffering from anxiety disorders, touch could help ward off an anxiety attack before it starts.
Eagle-eyed fans and critics pointed to several instances of Pascal’s touchiness. In one recent interview, he and Kirby were shown holding hands, hugging, and even touching each other’s faces during the press tour for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
And on the red carpet earlier this month, Pascal was seen with a hand on Kirby’s pregnant belly.
The appearances have drawn criticism. An X user reacted in one tweet: ‘me wondering why Pedro Pascal never has “anxiety” around his male co-workers.’
On the flip side, fans came to his defense, with one writing: ‘I think most of the anger directed at Pedro Pascal is men not knowing what consent is.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Pascal’s representatives for comment.
Dr Susan Albers, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, told DailyMail.com: ‘Touch is one of the most powerful and natural ways to calm anxiety, and it can include anything from a hug, holding hands, even placing a hand over your heart.’
She explained the ‘key ingredient’ is oxytocin, a hormone and neurotransmitter nicknamed the ‘love hormone’ or ‘cuddle hormone.’
This is released by the hypothalamus – the brain’s hormone control center – during childbirth and lactation but also during physical social interactions to form a sense of trust.
Dr Albers said: ‘It makes us, when it’s released, feel safe. It makes us feel connected and grounded, not only to other people, but also to your body.’
This sense of security for many people dates back to infancy, when babies are best soothed by a parent holding, rocking or patting their back.
‘These patterns, early on, regulate your nervous system and as an adult, we remember these calming pathways and they can be activated,’ Dr Albers explained.
She pointed toward psychologist Harry Harlow’s experiments on monkeys in the 1950s and 1960s, in which baby monkeys were taken from their mothers and raised in labs.
Many of them clung to cloth diapers, which researchers believe was to stimulate comfort that would have been provided by a mother’s touch.
Pedro Pascal is seen above hugging Sarah Paulson earlier this month
Pascal and Ramsey are pictured here in season two of The Last of Us
Stopping an anxiety attack might not always require another person, though.
Dr Michael Wetter, clinical psychologist at Wetter Psychological Services in Los Angeles, told DailyMail.com: ‘Touching one’s own chest—particularly in a slow, intentional way—can be a form of affective touch, a self-soothing gesture that promotes feelings of safety and groundedness.’
Self touch stimulates the vagus nerve, part of the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which controls vital functions like digestion, heart rate and the immune system.
When the vagus nerve is stimulated, it slows the release of cortisol, a hormone released during stress that sends the body into ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. This promotes relaxation and stress release.
‘It essentially signals to the brain, “I’m okay. I’m here. I’m safe.” This internal cue can interrupt the spiral of anxious thought and help re-anchor someone to the present moment,’ Dr Wetter explained.
Pascal (pictured with Kirby) said starring in a franchise like Fantastic Four made him nervous
Pascal is pictured with Kirby and co-stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn
Erica Schwartzberg, a psychotherapist in New York City, told DailyMail.com that parasympathetic nervous system response, along with slow breathing, ‘mimics the comforting feeling of being held, and it can be especially effective for people with anxiety who may feel overstimulated or out of control.’
Someone with anxiety may notice physical side effects as well, Dr Pamela Walters, consultant psychiatrist at Eulas Clinics in the UK, told DailyMail.com.
‘It’s not all in the mind; it’s in the body too,’ she said.
The release of oxytocin and slowing of cortisol has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate and calm the digestive system.
In addition to small gestures like someone’s hand on your shoulder, psychiatrist Dr Carole Lieberman points to specific moves.
She recommended to DailyMail.com a butterfly hug, which involves crossing your arms over your chest and tapping your shoulders or upper arms while slowly breathing in and out.
Pascal is pictured with Materialists co-star Dakota Johnson
While critics slammed Pascal’s touchiness, fans said he has a ‘safe’ environment with co-stars
Dr Lieberman also pointed to grounding, when ‘someone puts their feet on top of your feet’ to help you feel closer to the floor.
And while self touch can be effective for those who don’t have a friend or loved one to grasp on to during an anxiety attack, Dr Albers also points toward weighted blankets or stuffed animals, which simulate physical contact.
Whether you have another person to hold hands with or prefer self soothing, Dr Wetter told this website touch can be applied to most situations, even if you’re not a famous actor.
He said: ‘For many people—whether they’re performing on camera, sitting in a boardroom, or simply trying to get through a difficult day—these small, intentional physical gestures can be a surprisingly effective way to manage anxiety.’