The Mandalorian actor Pedro Pascal recently shared an impromptu on-air smooch with Stephen Colbert on his late-night talk show. The kiss was apparently a call-back to one Colbert planted on actress Julia Louis-Dreyfuss in an earlier segment. It’s probably the most talked-about Star Wars-related kiss since Princess Leia planted one on her (unbeknownst to her) brother in The Empire Strikes Back. Pascal was on TV to promote his new family-friendly Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu movie, which comes out later this month. Some say the kissing stunt is not the best way to get fickle fans back in theaters.
Here’s the late-night lip-lock. (WATCH)
Pedro Pascal kisses Stephen Colbert while on the show pic.twitter.com/db7r5xYruu
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) May 14, 2026
Disney: Hey Pedro, the projections for The Mandalorian & Grogu say this film could be the worst performing Star Wars movie ever. Worse than Solo. Any ideas how to market it better?
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) May 14, 2026
Pedro Pascal: I could makeout with Stephen Colbert on his show
Disney: GREAT IDEA! That’ll help pic.twitter.com/YaojtyA3kV
This is the first Star Wars film in theaters in six years. It needs all the goodwill and good publicity it can get.
Instead, commenters say it’s already off to a bad start and even mirrors a popular meme.
Pedro Pascal: I have a great idea. I'm going to makeout with Stephen Colbert.
— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) May 14, 2026
Disney: And how will this help promote The Mandalorian?
Pedro Pascal: The Mandalorian? https://t.co/V3PWSte89V
This template always comes in handy: pic.twitter.com/PfMYBTiZEi
— 「StrayWolf」 (@the_StrayWolf) May 14, 2026
Came here for this. pic.twitter.com/l7mnvUVYAF
— CF (@CrystalFireflie) May 14, 2026
Yep, they did the meme.
— ultraquiet (@ultra_quiet) May 14, 2026
@stonetoss right again. pic.twitter.com/UpdnSY5V9p
— Mega Therion𝕏 (@MegaTherion69) May 14, 2026
Simply amazing.
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Commenters are even making fun of the Mandalorian character's catchphrase of ‘This is the way.’ Hey, where's R2-TQ+?
Time to bring this back out. Pedro Pascal in The Transalorian. pic.twitter.com/0ZBPThnymT
— His Royal Majesty, The Alpha Cow (@Marcus_Porcius2) May 14, 2026
This is the gay.
— Yer Philosemitic Buddy Don (@prayerborne) May 14, 2026
I don’t care if he’s gay or trans or whatever. I just expect a measure of class, decorum and common decency from a mainstream actor connected with a family film of this level.
— Cameron Stone (@CameronSto9306) May 14, 2026
Pascal’s Hollywood mindset was never going to align with that of middle-American filmgoers.
Posters can't help but shake their heads at how Disney has mishandled the Star Wars universe it purchased from George Lucas for over $4 billion in 2012.
They tried turning Star Wars into a girl brand. Instead, it just became a gay brand.
— Adam the Beard Guy (@nerdadampunx) May 14, 2026
Now the marketing is laser focused on courting that new audience after alienating the original fanbase. Unfortunately, this kind of stunt makes perfect sense for what modern Star Wars has become.
@Disney decision making with Star Wars everyone. pic.twitter.com/saknHRQPpM
— Key_JunK (@Key_Junk) May 14, 2026
That funereal image needs the cantina music from the first Star Wars movie.
Some posters did a double-take when they first saw the kiss. They could have sworn it involved a certain MS NOW host.
I thought that was Rachel @maddow kissing her clone! pic.twitter.com/mjvWwEnDLs
— Crash OverRyde (@Crash_overRyde1) May 14, 2026
thought that was two rachel maddows i'm being so serious
— Megan | @megievalist (@megievalist) May 14, 2026
Rachels Maddow.
— billarity 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺 (@resentfulincel) May 14, 2026
You KNOW she would make out with herself if she could.
— Cory Laflin "...just so darn friendly." (@CoryLaflin) May 14, 2026
Disney, we're begging you, please don’t torture us with an all-lesbian Attack of the Clones.