José Balmaceda Riera is a Chilean doctor best known as the father of actor Pedro Pascal. He worked in reproductive medicine and fertility treatment in the United States, including at the University of California, Irvine.
José and his wife, Verónica Pascal Ureta, left Chile with their two oldest children during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. They later settled in the United States and had two more children. José eventually returned to Chile in the 1990s.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Profile Overivew
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | José Balmaceda Riera |
| Reported date of birth | 22 August 1948 |
| Reported birthplace | Santiago, Chile |
| Nationality | Chilean |
| Profession | Doctor, reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist |
| Known for | Being Pedro Pascal’s father |
| Father | José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara |
| Mother | Juana “Juanita” Riera Bauzá |
| Reported siblings | Ana María and Teresa Paulina Balmaceda Riera |
| Wife | Verónica Pascal Ureta |
| Children | Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás and Lux |
| Former workplace | University of California, Irvine |
| Reported residence | Chile |
Some biographical details, including José’s exact birth date, parents and siblings, come mainly from secondary sources and are not well documented in major public profiles.
How Old Is José Balmaceda Riera?
José Balmaceda Riera is reported to have been born on 22 August 1948 in Santiago, Chile. If this date is correct, he is 78 years old as of October 2026.
His exact birth details are not widely documented in major public sources.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Parents and Siblings
José’s parents are reported to be José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara and Juana “Juanita” Riera Bauzá.
His mother reportedly came from Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Some published profiles describe José’s paternal family as having Castilian-Basque roots.
José is also reported to have had at least two sisters, Ana María Balmaceda Riera and Teresa Paulina Balmaceda Riera. Both are reported to have died.
Detailed information about his childhood and early family life is not widely available.
Education and Medical Training
José Balmaceda Riera studied medicine and later specialized in reproductive medicine and fertility treatment.
Pedro Pascal has said his father was working as a medical resident in Chile when the family’s political problems began.
Public sources do not clearly identify José’s medical school, graduation year or full educational history.
Why Did José Balmaceda Riera Leave Chile?
José Balmaceda Riera and his family left Chile during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
Pinochet came to power after the September 1973 military coup that overthrew President Salvador Allende.
Pedro Pascal has explained that his parents were young liberal students at the time. He has also made clear that he would not describe them as revolutionaries.
According to Pedro, a priest brought an anti-Pinochet activist with a gunshot wound to the family’s home. José, who was a medical resident, provided treatment. His parents also agreed to help hide the injured man.
After the man was caught, authorities began looking for José and Verónica.
Pedro has said his parents went into hiding for about six months. They eventually reached the Venezuelan embassy in Santiago and received asylum.
Pedro was only about nine months old when his family left Chile.
The Family First Went to Denmark
After receiving political asylum, José, Verónica and their children were sent to Denmark.
At the time, they had two children, Javiera and Pedro, who had both been born in Chile.
The family did not remain permanently in Denmark. They later moved to the United States.
Life in San Antonio, Texas
José Balmaceda Riera and his family settled in San Antonio, Texas.
Pedro has spoken about growing up there as the child of young Chilean immigrants. Movies, concerts and San Antonio Spurs basketball games were part of the family’s life.
José particularly enjoyed movies.
Pedro often went to movie theaters with his father and later described movies as one of the main influences on his life.
The Family’s Move to California
When Pedro finished fifth grade, José received a job opportunity in California. The family moved from Texas to Orange County.
Pedro later said his first years in California were difficult because he experienced bullying. His mother eventually enrolled him in a performing arts school, where his interest in acting developed further.
José and Verónica also placed importance on their children’s education. Pedro has said he had considerable freedom over what movies and television programs he watched as long as he maintained good grades.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Medical Career
José Balmaceda Riera built his career as a doctor specializing in fertility medicine and reproductive endocrinology.
He worked at the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) and has been described as a co-director of a fertility clinic there.
His work focused on reproductive medicine and fertility treatment.
His career at UC Irvine later became connected to a major investigation involving the university’s fertility program.
The UC Irvine Fertility Scandal
In 1995, José became involved in an investigation surrounding the UC Irvine fertility clinic.
José and other doctors were accused of misconduct involving eggs and embryos from fertility patients. Reports included allegations that reproductive material was transferred to other patients without the original patients’ consent. There were also tax-related allegations.
José denied medical wrongdoing.
It is important to describe these matters as allegations rather than present every accusation as an established action by José.
The investigation caused a major change in his family’s life. José, Verónica and their two younger children returned to Chile while the matter was unfolding.
Pedro later described this period as one of great uncertainty. He had grown up with a stable family life in the United States, but that changed quickly after his parents left.
His Marriage to Verónica Pascal Ureta
José was married to Verónica Pascal Ureta, a Chilean child psychologist.
Verónica was born around 1953. She also had connections to a well-known Chilean political family.
Her cousin was Andrés Pascal Allende, who was involved with the Revolutionary Left Movement, commonly known as MIR. Andrés was a nephew of former Chilean president Salvador Allende.
José and Verónica had four children together.
Their marriage experienced problems around the period of José’s medical investigation and the family’s return to Chile. They eventually separated.
A clear public record of a divorce date is not available.
What Happened to José Balmaceda Riera’s Wife?
Verónica Pascal Ureta died on 4 February 1999, several years after the family’s return to Chile. She was reportedly 46.
Her death had a major effect on her children, especially Pedro.
Pedro was originally known as José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal. As he developed his acting career, he began professionally using his mother’s surname and became known as Pedro Pascal.
He has repeatedly spoken publicly about his mother’s importance in his life and career.
José Balmaceda Riera Has Four Children
José and Verónica had four children: Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás and Lux.
Javiera and Pedro were born in Chile before the family left the country. Nicolás and Lux were born after the family moved to the United States.
When José and Verónica returned to Chile in 1995, their two younger children moved with them.
Javiera Balmaceda Pascal
Javiera Balmaceda Pascal is José’s eldest child. She was born in 1972.
She works in the film and television industry rather than as an actress. She has held a senior role at Amazon MGM Studios, overseeing local original productions in Latin America.
Javiera was born in Chile but spent much of her childhood in the United States.
Pedro Pascal
José’s second child is Pedro Pascal, born José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal on 2 April 1975 in Santiago, Chile.
Pedro became an internationally known actor. His major television roles include Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, Javier Peña in Narcos, Din Djarin in The Mandalorian and Joel Miller in The Last of Us.
He has also appeared in major films, including Wonder Woman 1984 and Gladiator II.
Pedro was only an infant when José and Verónica left Chile. He grew up mainly in Texas and California.
Despite spending much of his life in the United States, Pedro remained connected to Chile and regularly visited extended family there.
Nicolás Balmaceda Pascal
Nicolás Balmaceda Pascal was born in 1987.
He followed a path closer to his father’s medical and scientific background.
In a 2019 birthday post, Pedro said Nicolás was pursuing a PhD in pediatric neurology. Pedro also described his brother as someone who disliked attention.
Unlike Pedro and Javiera, Nicolás was born in the United States but spent much of his later childhood in Chile.
Lux Pascal
Lux Pascal was born in 1992 and is the youngest of José and Verónica’s four children.
She is an actress who has worked in Chilean and international productions. She also studied acting at the Juilliard School in New York.
Lux publicly came out as a transgender woman in 2021. Pedro publicly supported his sister when she spoke about her transition.
Like Nicolás, Lux was born in the United States and later grew up in Chile.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Relationship With Pedro Pascal
José appears to have remained part of Pedro’s life as his son’s acting career grew.
One of their early connections was their shared interest in movies. Pedro has said his father loved going to the cinema and regularly took him to movies when he was young.
Pedro has also publicly thanked both of his parents for the decisions they made when leaving Chile.
During his Saturday Night Live hosting debut in February 2023, Pedro spoke about his parents’ courage in leaving Chile and starting a new life abroad.
José has also appeared with Pedro at major public events.
Where Is José Balmaceda Riera Now?
José is reported to live in Chile after returning there in the 1990s.
Some secondary sources say he continued working in medicine after his return. However, reliable current information about his medical practice or retirement status is limited.
He keeps a much lower public profile than Pedro and Lux.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Net Worth
José Balmaceda Riera’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There is no confirmed public financial information showing his current assets or wealth. Figures published without a clear financial source should be treated as estimates rather than facts.
Pedro Pascal’s wealth should also not be used to estimate his father’s personal net worth.
Does José Balmaceda Riera Use Social Media?
José does not appear to have a widely known verified public social media account.
Photos of him can be found on Pedro Pascal’s social media and on fan pages, but these should not be confused with accounts personally operated by José.
Things to Know About José Balmaceda Riera
- José is a Chilean doctor who specialized in reproductive and fertility medicine.
- He is the father of Pedro Pascal.
- He and Verónica Pascal Ureta had four children: Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás and Lux.
- José treated an injured anti-Pinochet activist while working as a medical resident, according to Pedro.
- His family went into hiding before receiving political asylum.
- They first went to Denmark and later moved to the United States.
- The family lived in San Antonio, Texas, before moving to Orange County, California.
- José frequently took Pedro to the movies when he was young.
- He worked in fertility medicine at UC Irvine.
- He denied medical wrongdoing after becoming involved in the UC Irvine fertility investigation in 1995.
- José and his family returned to Chile during the 1990s.
- His wife, Verónica, died on 4 February 1999 after the couple had separated.
- José attended the London premiere of Gladiator II with Pedro and Lux in November 2024.
- His exact net worth is not publicly confirmed.
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