Nico Parker is only 20 years old, but she’s well on her way to solidifying herself as a star. She made her film debut in the live-action Dumbo in 2019, and from there, she’s been flying high. Literally, flying too, because she’s one of the stars of the highly successful and well-reviewed live-action How to Train Your Dragon. Now, she’s being recognized as a rising star, and her The Last of Us co-star, Pedro Pascal, penned a sweet tribute to his “first daughter” that’s making me emotional.
As I alluded to, Nico Parker was named one of the World’s Most Influential Rising Stars by Time. So, to prove that, Pedro Pascal penned the tribute to her. He started by gushing:
Nico Parker is my first daughter. The one you learn from, the one who shows you patience and humor no matter the moment, no matter the day. She moves through a world that is stunned by her beauty, and if and when anyone gets past it, they are met with an intelligence, talent and sensitivity that can vanish any picture you’re trying to hold onto. You will never catch up with Nico, but she will wait for you.
Well, that’s the sweetest thing ever. It’s also so meaningful considering who the roles they played in The Last of Us cast. When it comes to that show, we spend most of our time talking about Pascal’s Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie. However, Parker played Pascal’s on-screen biological daughter, Sarah, who tragically dies at the start of the series (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription).
While she wasn’t on screen for long, she made a huge impact on the video game adaptation and clearly on Pedro Pascal. Continuing his tribute, the Fantastic Four: First Steps actor wrote:
I ask that she keep going, that she keeps showing the world how it’s done. Thank you, Nico, for being my first daughter. I will always be here, I will always protect you, just like you do me.
I’m sorry, but I simply cannot handle this. It’s far too sweet, heartfelt and further proof that both Pedro Pascal and Nico Parker are class acts.
However, to prove that note about Parker further, let’s talk about everything she’s doing to get this kind of acknowledgment. Along with How to Train Your Dragon, she has another project on the 2025 movie schedule called Poetic License. She’s also going to be filming those flying scenes on dragons again, because the live-action How to Train Your Dragon 2 is in the works, and she will return as Astrid. And, she’ll be diving into the horror genre eventually, too, by way of Osgood Perkins’ The Young People.
Really, her work and what’s to come speak for itself. However, Pascal’s tribute amplifies it and tells us about the person Nico Parker is. According to The Mandalorian star, she’s intelligent, sensitive, and utterly stunning.
So, if you weren’t on board the Nico Parker train yet, you should be now. While I wipe my tears over this sweet tribute from her Last of Us co-star and on-screen dad, you can see them in the show over on HBO Max. Meanwhile, we’ll keep you updated on the actress’s growing career, and I’ll also be hoping that she and Pascal do get the chance to collaborate again someday.