“You get really high” — The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal discusses his viral Starbucks order and the story behind it on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Pedro Pascal spoke about the origins of his viral Starbucks order on Jimmy Kimmel Live, addressing the public reaction and how the habit began. During his appearance on March 25, 2025, Pascal shared why he drinks six shots of espresso in one cup and described how it became an unexpected topic of global conversation.

The Last of Us actor explained that the drink started as a "quad" but evolved over time. He said the cup sizes became larger, and he felt the espresso shots weren’t as strong as they used to be, which led him to increase the number. The actor also admitted he never intended for his morning drink to become public.

He also acknowledged the viral moment felt "violating" because the paparazzi had zoomed in on the cup to reveal the full order. Although the order became popular online, Pascal insisted the coffee was consumed in one go and not throughout the day. He said:

"You sip it. You get really high, and you answer emails and stuff."

The actor described it as a single early morning caffeine hit rather than a recurring habit. He clarified that he does not have more coffee during the rest of the day.

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Pedro Pascal explains the evolution of his coffee order and viral moment

Pedro Pascal attends the "Eddington" red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival (Image via Getty)

Pedro Pascal described the change in his Starbucks order while speaking to Jimmy Kimmel on March 25, 2025. He mentioned that he initially drank four shots of espresso. Over time, however, he found the espresso less effective and said that cup sizes grew, prompting him to increase the number of shots to six.

"It was always a quad. But then I feel like the cups got bigger and the shots got less strong," Pascal said.

He added that the adjustment happened gradually. Although the number seemed excessive to many online users, Pedro Pascal noted it was his only caffeine intake for the day.

The viral coffee order gained attention in March 2023 when fans noticed a Starbucks cup in his hand and zoomed in on the label. The order included six shots of iced espresso in a venti cup.

Pedro Pascal said he was uncomfortable with how widely his order was shared online. While on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he described the situation as a breach of his personal space.

"I cannot begin to tell you how violating this was," he said in the episode.

He added that the routine was never intended to be known publicly and that the attention surprised him. The actor joked about how it was no longer a simple morning ritual. He said:

"There was so much context to why it has become six shots of espresso... I don’t have more coffee for the rest of the day."

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Pedro Pascal talks about The Last of Us season 2

Bella Ramsey (L) and Pedro Pascal arrive at "The Last of Us: Cast and Creators on season 2 (Image via Getty)

Pedro Pascal spoke about season two of The Last of Us during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The second installment premiered on April 13, 2025.

In the second episode of season two, titled Through the Valley, Pedro Pascal's character, Joel Miller, is killed by Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) in a violent act of revenge. This event mirrors a pivotal moment from the original video game and significantly alters the trajectory of the series. Despite Joel's death, Pascal continues to appear in the series through flashbacks that explore his relationship with Ellie (Bella Ramsey) during the five-year gap between seasons.

When Kimmel asked if Pascal was good at keeping secrets about the show, he replied:

“I’m good with keeping secrets...On your show I’m not gonna say anything. But I’ll tell my Uber driver just about anything.”

Although he avoided sharing plot details, he described the new season as very different and did not reveal any spoilers. The interview included a brief clip from the upcoming season featuring Pascal and O'Hara in a dramatic scene.

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The Last of Us season 2 is available to stream on Max.