- Disney shared a video showing Pedro Pascal stepping into the Millennium Falcon attraction to promote The Mandalorian and Grogu, while making it look like ordinary park visitors were shocked to suddenly see the star in person.
- An insider defended the event and claimed the guests were real Star Wars fans who were simply invited to preview new additions in the Smugglers Run attraction.
- Some of the people spotted in the video were later identified as popular creators connected to Disney and Star Wars conten
Disney is facing massive criticism after fans claimed a recent surprise appearance by Pedro Pascal at Disneyland was not as spontaneous as it looked. The company shared a video showing the actor stepping into the Millennium Falcon attraction to promote The Mandalorian and Grogu, while making it look like ordinary park visitors were shocked to suddenly see the star in person. But the clip quickly sparked backlash after social media users recognised several people featured in the video as known Disney and Star Wars influencers.
Soon after the debate escalated, an insider defended the event and claimed the guests were real Star Wars fans who were simply invited to preview new additions in the Smugglers Run attraction. According to the source, the group did not know Pascal will appear, meaning their reactions in the video were still genuine despite the controversy online.
A source close to The Hollywood Reporter said “the group consisted of legitimate Star Wars fans, some of whom have modest social media followings. The group had been invited to the park under the guise of getting to check out new content additions to Smugglers Run. Their reaction to Pascal, in other words, was genuine.”
“Afterwards, Pascal, The Mandalorian and Grogu co-star Sigourney Weaver, writer-director Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm chief Dave Filoni gathered to watch the Shadows of Memory projection show with everyday tourists nearby.”
Some of the people spotted in the video were later identified as popular creators connected to Disney and Star Wars content. They included the host of the YouTube channel Star Wars Replicas, Instagram creator NerdyBrent and Imagination.Em, a Disney cosplayer who had also attended premiere events for The Mandalorian and Grogu, in the past.
Directed by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to release on May 22, 2026.