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Pedro Pascal’s ‘anxiety touching’ with Vanessa Kirby sparks meme storm; fans ask: ‘Why doesn’t he touch men like that’

In several appearances, including San Diego Comic-Con, last year, Pascal was seen holding Kirby’s hand and even leaning in closely during interviews.

Pedro Pascal with Vanessa Kirby in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Promotional clips for Marvel’s upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, have been making the rounds online. But while the superhero hype is building, fans can’t stop talking about the off-screen moments between Pascal and Kirby, particularly their unusually affectionate dynamic during press events.

In several appearances, including San Diego Comic-Con last year, Pascal was seen holding Kirby’s hand and even leaning in closely during interviews. In one viral moment, Kirby gently touched his face mid-conversation. These interactions have sparked a wave of speculation and memes across social media, with users questioning whether it’s all just friendly support, or something more.

Pascal has previously been candid about his anxiety, especially in high-pressure public situations. He’s mentioned that physical touch from trusted friends helps him manage it. This context was highlighted in a July 30, 2024, reel shared by Instagram page @relationships.usa, which featured the Comic-Con hand-holding clip and the caption: “Pedro Pascal suffers from anxiety, and when he is anxious, he usually tries to have contact with someone.”

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Recently, while promoting First Steps, Pascal was also seen holding Kirby close to him.

Fantastic couple 💙🤍 #TheFantasticFour pic.twitter.com/OmrWvxfcop

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 22, 2025

While Pascal has addressed his struggles with anxiety and suggested that physical contact helps him cope during public appearances, not everyone is buying it. The Internet was quick to react, flooding social media with memes and commentary that questioned his intentions.

Pedro Pascal memes:

Me alone Pedro Pascal
with anxiety with anxiety pic.twitter.com/184XYUPwnz

— autist (@litteralyme0_) July 23, 2025

me wondering why Pedro Pascal never has “anxiety” around his male co-workers pic.twitter.com/dfPsqBBGtp

— duck (@ExtremeBlitz__) July 23, 2025

How come Pedro Pascal never gets anxiety around Bella Ramsey? pic.twitter.com/BrCWYgU9fM

— CAMELCAST OFFICIAL (@CAMELCASTOff) July 24, 2025

Pedro Pascal and his female co-worker because of his “social anxiety” https://t.co/oXMDOKv5MV

— Bibawen (@asimbawe) July 23, 2025

Me alone Pedro Pascal
with anxiety with anxiety pic.twitter.com/P8io7iYJxp

— The Cinéprism (@TheCineprism) July 24, 2025

Pedro Pascal calming down his anxiety pic.twitter.com/ITk3c4vzgq

— juju 💰 (@ayeejuju) July 23, 2025

Many others even left comments. “Why does he never get anxiety gropes when taking pictures with men?” one user wrote. Another wrote, “If you have social anxiety, the last thing you want to do is touch people in this way.” A third person commented, “Pedro is another ‘male feminist’ just waiting to be exposed… it would NOT surprise me one bit.”

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