Lux Pascal

{{Short description|American and Chilean actor and transgender activist (born 1992)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Lux Pascal

| image = Lux Pascal 2024.png

| caption = Pascal in 2024

| birth_name = Lucas Balmaceda Pascal

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|6|4|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Orange County, California, U.S.

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 2011–present

| education = Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (BA)
Juilliard School (MFA)

| relatives = Pedro Pascal (brother)

| partner = José Antonio Raffo (2011–present)

}}

Lux Balmaceda Pascal (born June 4, 1992){{cite web |last=Salas |first=Maria José |title=La película de los hermanos |work=La Tercera |location=Chile |language=Spanish |date=November 4, 2015 |url=https://www.latercera.com/paula/la-pelicula-de-los-hermanos/ |access-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227000018/https://www.latercera.com/paula/la-pelicula-de-los-hermanos/ |url-status=live }} is an American and Chilean actress and transgender activist.{{cite web|url=http://www.t13.cl/noticia/entretencion/Lucas-Balmaceda-el-hermano-del-chileno-de-Game-of-Thrones-que-llego-a-remecer-Los-80|title=Lucas Balmaceda, el hermano del chileno de Game of Thrones que llegó a remecer Los 80|website=t13.cl|date=November 12, 2014 |access-date=January 13, 2018|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111204523/https://www.t13.cl/noticia/entretencion/Lucas-Balmaceda-el-hermano-del-chileno-de-Game-of-Thrones-que-llego-a-remecer-Los-80|url-status=live|language=Spanish}}{{cite web|title=Pedro Pascal Sweetly Supports His Sister Lux After She Comes Out as a Trans Woman: 'Mi Corazón'|url=https://people.com/movies/pedro-pascal-supports-sister-lux-comes-out-trans-woman/|website=People|date=February 9, 2021|access-date=February 12, 2021|archive-date=February 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211212045/https://people.com/movies/pedro-pascal-supports-sister-lux-comes-out-trans-woman/|url-status=live}} She is known for her roles in the Chilean television series Veinteañero a los 40 and Juana Brava and the Chilean drama film The Prince.

Early and personal life

Lux was born in California as Lucas Balmaceda to Chilean parents José Balmaceda Riera and Verónica Pascal Ureta. She is a member of the Balmaceda family, a politically influential family that were part of the Castilian-Basque aristocracy. Her parents were exiled from Chile after the 1973 coup due to her mother's connection to Andrés Pascal Allende, a leader of the Chilean Revolutionary Left Movement, who was her cousin.{{Cite web|first=Lee|last=Romney|date=1995-11-30|title=Fertility Doctor Who Fled U.S. Is Welcomed in Chile : Medicine: Patients flock to Jose Balmaceda, formerly of UC Irvine. But his arrival may add to scrutiny of his field.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-11-30-mn-8788-story.html|access-date=2021-02-15|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=5 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305073532/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-11-30-mn-8788-story.html|url-status=live}} Lux is the youngest of four siblings, including actor Pedro Pascal. When she was three years old, her family returned to Chile where she attended Saint George's College.

In 2010, Lux began studying theater at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811101011/http://www.paula.cl/reportajes-y-entrevistas/la-pelicula-de-los-hermanos/|archive-date=2018-08-11|url=http://www.paula.cl/reportajes-y-entrevistas/la-pelicula-de-los-hermanos/|title=La película de los hermanos|first=Josefina |last=Hirane|website=paula.cl|language=Spanish}} In May 2023, she graduated from Juilliard School with an MFA in acting.{{cite web |last=Villa |first=Bernardita |title=Ya no es Lucas Balmaceda: estrella de "Los 80" revela que es trans y ahora se llama Lux Pascal |work=BioBioChile |location=Chile |language=Spanish |date=9 February 2021 |url=https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/espectaculos-y-tv/notas-espectaculos-tv/2021/02/09/ya-no-es-lucas-balmaceda-estrella-de-los-80-revela-que-es-trans-y-ahora-se-llama-lux-pascal.shtml |access-date=21 February 2021 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209143726/https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/espectaculos-y-tv/notas-espectaculos-tv/2021/02/09/ya-no-es-lucas-balmaceda-estrella-de-los-80-revela-que-es-trans-y-ahora-se-llama-lux-pascal.shtml |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Lux Pascal at The Juilliard School |url=https://www.juilliard.edu/drama/4yr/group-52/lux-pascal |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=www.juilliard.edu}}{{Cite web |last=Bowman |first=Sabienna |date=2023-05-20 |title=Pedro Pascal and His Brother, Nicolás Balmaceda, Attend Sister Lux's Graduation From Juilliard |url=https://www.popsugar.com/node/49179022 |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=POPSUGAR Celebrity |language=en-US}}

In February 2021, Lux publicly announced that she is a transgender woman and changed her name to reflect her maternal surname. She has been in a relationship with actor José Antonio Raffo since 2011.{{Cite web|last=Meganoticias|date=2021-03-12|title=José Antonio Raffo y su pololeo con la actriz trans Lux Pascal: "Soy un eterno enamorado"|url=https://www.meganoticias.cl/tendencias/329838-lux-pascal-pareja-de-jose-antonio-raffo-pox09.html|access-date=2021-06-05|website=meganoticias.cl|language=es|archive-date=5 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605034022/https://www.meganoticias.cl/tendencias/329838-lux-pascal-pareja-de-jose-antonio-raffo-pox09.html|url-status=live}}

Career

In 2014, during her fourth year of studying theater, Lux made her stage debut in Pablo Rotemberg's play La noche obstinada.{{Cite web|last=Arzola|first=Catalina Cabello|date=25 July 2014|title=Lucas Balmaceda, la promesa actoral: "Me ponen incómodo los conservadores"|url=http://www.lasegunda.com/Noticias/Impreso/2014/07/951141/me-ponen-incomodo-los-conservadores|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209170940/http://www.lasegunda.com/Noticias/Impreso/2014/07/951141/me-ponen-incomodo-los-conservadores|archive-date=9 February 2021|access-date=2021-02-15|website=LaSegunda.com|language=Spanish}} That same year, she landed her first television role on Canal 13's series Los 80, where she played "Axel Miller".{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=12 November 2014|title=Lucas Balmaceda, el hermano del chileno de Game of Thrones que llegó a remecer Los 80|url=https://www.t13.cl/noticia/entretencion/Lucas-Balmaceda-el-hermano-del-chileno-de-Game-of-Thrones-que-llego-a-remecer-Los-80|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116023950/https://www.t13.cl/noticia/entretencion/Lucas-Balmaceda-el-hermano-del-chileno-de-Game-of-Thrones-que-llego-a-remecer-Los-80|archive-date=16 November 2014|access-date=2021-02-15|website=Tele 13|language=Spanish}} In 2015, she co-starred in the TVN soap opera Juana Brava, and the following year, she acted in the soap opera Veinteañero a los 40 on Canal 13. Lux made her film debut in 2016 in Prueba de actitud, directed by Fabrizio Copano and Augusto Matte.

In 2017, Lux appeared in an international series for the first time, playing the role of Elias in the third season of the Netflix series Narcos, alongside her brother Pedro.{{Cite web|title=Actor de "Los 80" se suma a la tercera temporada de "Narcos"|url=https://www.ar13.cl/lucas-balmaceda%2Factor-de-los-80-se-suma-a-la-tercera-temporada-de-narcos|access-date=2021-02-15|website=www.ar13.cl|language=Spanish|archive-date=27 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227000031/https://www.ar13.cl/lucas-balmaceda%2Factor-de-los-80-se-suma-a-la-tercera-temporada-de-narcos|url-status=live}}

In 2019, Lux participated in three Chilean film productions: No quiero ser tu hermano, directed by Sebastián Badilla, Ella es Cristina, directed by Gonzalo Maza, and The Prince, directed by Sebastián Muñoz.

She landed her first leading role in a film in Miss Carbón,{{Cite web|website=Vogue|url=https://www.vogue.es/articulos/lux-pascal-entrevista-miss-carbon-pelicula-protagonista-cine|title=Lux Pascal: “Podríamos no ser tan terriblemente capitalistas y aceptar que mi humanidad no restringe la de ninguna otra persona”|date=4 June 2025|first=Alberto|last=Sisí Sánchez}} released in 2025.