José Balmaceda Riera is a Chilean doctor who worked in reproductive medicine and fertility care. He is widely known as the father of actor Pedro Pascal.
José and his late wife, child psychologist Verónica Pascal Ureta, left Chile with their young family during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. They later settled in the United States, where José continued his medical career. The couple had four children: Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás, and Lux.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | José Balmaceda Riera |
| Reported date of birth | August 22, 1948 |
| Reported age | 78 years old as of 2026 |
| Reported birthplace | Santiago, Chile |
| Nationality | Chilean |
| Profession | Reproductive endocrinologist and fertility doctor |
| Father | José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara |
| Mother | Juana “Juanita” Riera Bauzá |
| Reported sisters | Ana María and Teresa Paulina Balmaceda Riera |
| Wife | Verónica Pascal Ureta |
| Children | Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás, and Lux |
| Known for | Being Pedro Pascal’s father and his medical career |
| Current residence | Reportedly Chile |
José Balmaceda Riera’s Early Life and Parents
José Balmaceda Riera was reportedly born on August 22, 1948, in Santiago, Chile.
His parents were José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara and Juana “Juanita” Riera Bauzá. His father was reportedly born in 1914.
José’s mother was reportedly from Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Some published reports describe José’s family background as Castilian-Basque.
José reportedly had at least two sisters, Ana María Balmaceda Riera and Teresa Paulina Balmaceda Riera. Both are reported to have died.
Education
Detailed information about José’s education is not widely available.
Pedro Pascal has described his parents as young, liberal college students. José later became a doctor specializing in reproductive medicine, but reliable details about his medical school, degrees, and specialist training are not clear from available biographical sources.
Why Did José Balmaceda Riera Leave Chile?
José and his family lived in Chile during a difficult period in the country’s political history.
General Augusto Pinochet took power after a military coup in September 1973 that removed President Salvador Allende’s government.
Pedro Pascal has said his parents were young and politically liberal, but he did not describe them as revolutionaries.
Published accounts say José and Verónica faced danger because they had connections with people opposed to the Pinochet government. One report says a person connected to the opposition received help at their home.
The family sought refuge at the Venezuelan embassy in Santiago.
They eventually left Chile in 1975. Pedro Pascal, who was born on April 2 that year, was still a baby.
From Chile to Denmark and the United States
José, Verónica, and their children received political asylum.
The family first went to Denmark before moving to the United States.
They settled in San Antonio, Texas. José’s two oldest children, Javiera and Pedro, had been born in Chile but spent much of their childhood in the United States.
The family later moved to Southern California after José found work there. They lived in Orange County and continued visiting relatives in Chile.
José and Verónica later had two more children, Nicolás and Lux.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Medical Career
José worked as a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility doctor.
His career eventually took him to the University of California, Irvine. Published reports identify him as one of the doctors involved with the university’s fertility program and describe him as a co-director of a fertility clinic.
His work focused on reproductive medicine and fertility treatment.
José later returned to Chile and reportedly continued working in medicine. Detailed information about his more recent medical positions is limited.
The UC Irvine Fertility Controversy
José’s medical career became the subject of public attention in the mid-1990s because of an investigation involving the University of California, Irvine fertility program.
In 1995, José and other doctors connected with the program faced allegations involving the unauthorized transfer or use of patients’ eggs and embryos. Reports also described tax and financial allegations connected with the wider case.
José denied medical wrongdoing.
The allegations and investigation should not be treated as proof that every claim made against him was established as fact.
During this period, José and Verónica returned to Chile with their two younger children.
Pedro later described the period as difficult because the family life he had known in California suddenly changed.
Who Was José Balmaceda Riera’s Wife?
José was married to Verónica Pascal Ureta, a Chilean child psychologist.
Verónica was reportedly born in 1953. She also had connections to the Allende family.
She was a cousin of Andrés Pascal Allende, who became a leader of Chile’s Revolutionary Left Movement, commonly known as MIR. Andrés was also related to former Chilean President Salvador Allende.
This family connection does not mean José and Verónica held the same political positions or roles.
José and Verónica Separated
José and Verónica experienced problems in their marriage and eventually separated after returning to Chile.
A confirmed divorce date is not widely available.
Verónica died on February 4, 1999, at age 46.
Pedro Pascal has spoken publicly about how difficult his mother’s death was for him and his family.
He later chose Pascal, his mother’s surname, as his professional last name. His birth name is José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal.
José Balmaceda Riera Has Four Children
José and Verónica had four children: Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás, and Lux.
Their children followed different careers in entertainment, media, medicine, and science.
Javiera Balmaceda Pascal
Javiera is the eldest of the four children. She was reportedly born in 1972.
She built a career in television and film production. She has worked as an executive in the entertainment industry, including work connected with Amazon Studios and Latin American productions.
Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal was born José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal on April 2, 1975, in Santiago, Chile.
He became the most publicly known member of the Balmaceda Pascal family through his acting career.
Pedro is known for playing Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones and Din Djarin in The Mandalorian. He also stars as Joel Miller in The Last of Us.
He has spoken several times about his parents and their decision to leave Chile.
During his Saturday Night Live monologue in February 2023, Pedro thanked his parents for their courage and said their actions allowed him to grow up in the United States and eventually build his career there.
Pedro has also spoken about his mother’s support for his acting ambitions.
Nicolás Balmaceda Pascal
Nicolás Balmaceda Pascal was reportedly born in 1987.
Unlike Pedro, Javiera, and Lux, Nicolás followed a career connected with science and medicine. Published reports say he pursued doctoral-level work related to pediatric neurology.
Detailed information about his current position is not widely available.
Lux Pascal
Lux Pascal was born in 1992 and is the youngest of José’s four children.
She is an actress and transgender rights advocate. Lux studied acting at the Juilliard School in New York and has appeared in Chilean and international productions.
Lux and Pedro have also made public appearances together.
José Balmaceda Riera and Pedro Pascal’s Relationship
José has remained part of Pedro Pascal’s life despite keeping a much lower public profile than his son.
Pedro frequently discusses his family’s history when speaking about his childhood. He has credited both of his parents for the sacrifices they made after leaving Chile.
José has also joined Pedro at major public events.
In November 2024, José appeared with Pedro and Lux at the London premiere of Gladiator II at Leicester Square.
Where Is José Balmaceda Riera Now?
José reportedly returned to Chile in the mid-1990s and has continued to have strong ties to the country.
Recent public appearances show that he also travels to support his children. Detailed information about his current work and private life is limited.
Is José Balmaceda Riera Married Now?
Reliable information about José’s current relationship status is not publicly available.
Some online profiles list him as married while also naming Verónica Pascal Ureta as his wife. This information is outdated or unclear because Verónica died in 1999.
There is no reliable information in the available sources confirming a later wife or marriage.
José Balmaceda Riera’s Net Worth
José Balmaceda Riera’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There are no confirmed public financial records showing his current wealth. His son Pedro’s earnings and net worth should not be used to estimate José’s personal finances.
Social Media
José does not appear to maintain a widely confirmed public social media presence.
Several fan accounts share photographs and information about him because of his connection to Pedro Pascal, but these should not be confused with José’s own official accounts.
Facts About José Balmaceda Riera
- José Balmaceda Riera is a Chilean doctor specializing in reproductive medicine.
- He was reportedly born on August 22, 1948.
- His parents were José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara and Juana Riera Bauzá.
- His mother reportedly came from Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
- He married Chilean child psychologist Verónica Pascal Ureta.
- José and his family left Chile during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.
- The family received political asylum and first went to Denmark.
- They later settled in San Antonio, Texas, before moving to California.
- José worked in reproductive medicine at UC Irvine.
- He denied medical wrongdoing after becoming involved in a fertility-clinic investigation in the 1990s.
- José and Verónica had four children: Javiera, Pedro, Nicolás, and Lux.
- His son Pedro Pascal became an internationally known actor.
- Verónica died in February 1999.
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