The world-famous movie star, beloved by many, Pedro Pascal, has found himself at the center of an unusual legal dispute. His name has been encroached upon, but not in Hollywood—rather, in his native Chile, and not by other actors, but by… alcohol producers.

The case, currently being reviewed by the National Institute of Industrial Property of Chile (INAPI), concerns the fight over the trademark “Pedro Piscal”. This name is so similar to the actor’s name that it could confuse consumers and harm his reputation.

How Did It All Begin? The story unfolded in the summer of 2023 when INAPI registered the trademark “Pedro Piscal”. Its owner planned to produce alcoholic beverages and provide commercial services under this name.

Just a few months later, in June 2024, Pedro Pascal himself registered his own name as a trademark for cosmetics, clothing, toys, and entertainment services.

Upon learning about the existence of “Pedro Piscal”, the actor’s lawyers decided to take action. They filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the registration of the mark. Their main argument is the visual and phonetic similarity, which creates confusion and allows the alcohol producers to unfairly exploit Pascal’s popularity.

Similarity vs. Play on Words The core of the dispute lies in how much the name “Pedro Piscal” resembles “Pedro Pascal”. The actor’s lawyers are convinced that the similarity is obvious. In their view, the trademark owner is simply trying to cash in on Pascal’s fame, as many people, upon seeing such a name, might think the actor has something to do with the beverage.

On the other hand, the owner of the “Pedro Piscal” trademark claims that everything was done in good faith. He explains that the name “Pedro” in the title is a reference to the Pedro Jiménez grape variety, which is used to produce pisco (a popular alcoholic beverage in Chile). Meanwhile, “Piscal” is a derivative of the word “pisco” itself. According to him, it is merely a clever play on words, not an attempt to impersonate the actor.

This Is Not Their First Encounter Interestingly, this is not the first dispute between the two parties. Previously, NIC Chile (the agency responsible for internet domain name registration) had already ruled on a case in favor of Pedro Pascal. The owner of the “Pedro Piscal” trademark had wanted to register that specific internet domain. At that time, NIC Chile recognized that this constituted bad faith exploitation of the actor’s popularity. Although that case concerned a domain name rather than a trademark, this ruling serves as a vital argument for Pascal in the current conflict.

Legal Labyrinth The “Pedro Pascal vs. Pedro Piscal” case is a tough legal nut to crack. INAPI, acting as the court of first instance, will have to analyze not only the similarity of the names but also the intentions of the trademark owner, the good faith of his actions, and compliance with ethical standards of competition.

INAPI’s decision, whatever it may be, will not put an end to this story. Either party will be able to appeal it to the Industrial Property Court of Appeals, and in the future, potentially even to the Supreme Court of Chile.

A Trademark: More Than Just a Label This dispute goes beyond a simple legal conflict. It raises crucial questions about where the right to the commercial use of a name ends and a person’s right to protect their own name and reputation begins.

In today’s world, where information spreads instantly, trademarks become more than just labels; they are crucial company assets that represent identity and quality. For public figures, their name is also a “trademark” that protects them from others illegally piggybacking on their fame.

The “Pedro Pascal vs. Pedro Piscal” dispute reminds us of the importance of responsibility when creating new brands. It also highlights the necessity of professional legal support at every stage of business creation and promotion. The ability to assess risks and avoid potential conflicts can save a company from costly lawsuits and preserve consumer trust.

Founder of Research & Patent group Intectica, author of patent algorithms for solving problems in the pharmaceutical industry, patent attorney certified in all intellectual property objects (Patents, Design, TM), with education in chemistry and law, chief expert of the patent institution of Ukraine UKRPATENT (1997-2004). Member of international organizations, including ECTA, PTMG, UAM, lecturer and blogger.