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Actor Pedro Pascal turned up at a Pedro Pascal-themed art exhibition in Kent, and couldn’t get in.
Artist Heidi Gentle Burrell, 45, opened her show – ‘ADHD Hyper Fixation and why it looks like I love Pedro Pascal’ – in Margate in June.
Incredibly, the Narcos and Mandolorian star then turned up at the Rhodes Gallery at the weekend – but couldn’t get in as it was shut.
Heidi sadly wasn’t there to meet Pascal, who turned up with fellow actor Russell Tovey and artist and former musician Robert Diament.
But she says she’s thrilled he is aware of the exhibition.
Heidi, a full-time artist from Wickford, Essex, said: “It was absolutely fantastic. Although I can imagine he’s slightly embarrassed, with all the art being about him!
“I’m gutted he showed up on a Sunday when the gallery was closed. I’d love for Robert to bring him along when we’re actually open.”
Heidi had heard from a superfan who came to the exhibition preview that Pedro was filming in Morocco at the time.
But on Sunday (August 6), Pedro went to view the exhibition – only to find it was closed for the day. So they took a photo outside and Robert posted it on Instagram yesterday (August 7) – which is how Heidi found out.
“It was absolutely nuts,” she said. “So many lovely people have messaged me in the last couple of days. I completely understand why Robert didn’t tell me he was going with Pedro, they want their privacy.
“But I’m a bit gutted I missed them! It’s fantastic for me, though, hopefully it’ll elevate the conversation around neurodivergence. I feel like I’m helping to create a positive change.”
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Heidi first went full-time with her art during summer 2020 and uses it as a means of expressing her “self-diagnosed” ADHD.
She paints her hyper fixations, which are all centred around pop culture. Her previous muses have included Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street and the entire cast of the BBC’s ‘Ghosts’.
But this year, her fixation on Pedro came to a head, and she started creating art of him in various mediumsm including painting, mirrorimaging and Photoshop.
Heidi said: “I used to watch him in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and lots of crime dramas, which I always thought he was really good in. The first film I saw him in was called Bloodsucking Bosses, but I loved him before he was famous, too.
“I just found he had a really interesting face, from an artistic point-of-view. He’s got two little bald patches in his beard and creases in his eyebrows and bridge of his nose.
“I wouldn’t call myself an obsessed fan, but I do hyper-fixate on capturing him in my art.”
Pedro Pascal
Heidi posted her Pedro paintings on Instagram, and it caught the attention of Jessica Rhodes-Robb, who runs the Rhodes Gallery.
She said: “She asked me if I’d be interested in doing a show – she was fantastic, gave me so much free rein to express my ADHD in a million different ways.
“I went to the gallery on June 2 to set everything up. As I was putting everything in the window, Robert Diament walked past!
“I’ve been following him and Russell Tovey on Instagram for ages, and I knew through their Talk Art podcast that they knew Pedro.
“He was incredibly lovely to talk to, and asked me when my exhibition was opening. I asked him to come along to the preview later, thinking – worst case scenario is he’ll say no.
“But, he showed up! He made a video and posted it on his Instagram, then joked about sending it to Pedro.”
The Rhodes Gallery posted a photo of Pedro, Russell and Robert outside the exhibition on social media, which was originally shared from Tovey’s account.
The caption said: “The ultimate event has officially happened! Pedro Pascal himself, Robert Diament and Russel Tovey taking selfies in front of Heidi’s show at our gallery. Wonderful and amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
This content was originally published here.