Pascal’s Legal Fight Against “Pedro Piscal” Intensifies as Chilean Courts Hand Early Wins to Actor

A legal dispute between actor Pedro Pascal and a Chilean pisco brand called “Pedro Piscal” is continuing to develop, with new rulings strengthening Pascal’s position.

The conflict began in 2023 when entrepreneur David Herrera registered the “Pedro Piscal” name for a pisco product. Pascal’s legal team filed a lawsuit in March 2024, arguing that the brand name is a clear reference to the actor and improperly benefits from his international fame.

Pascal’s lawyers say the name creates confusion and amounts to unauthorized commercial use of his identity. They argue that even a phonetic similarity to a well-known public figure can violate Chilean industrial property laws, especially when used for profit.

Herrera has rejected those claims. He says the name is a coincidence and intended as a play on words. According to his explanation, “Pedro” refers to the Pedro Ximénez grape, while “Piscal” is slang used among friends for a piscola, a common Chilean drink made with pisco and cola.

Recent developments have favored Pascal. Courts have already ordered the transfer of two domain names associated with the brand—pedropiscal.cl and pedropiscalpisco.cl—to Pascal’s legal team. In addition, Pascal has successfully registered his own name as a trademark in Chile, which his lawyers say strengthens their case to cancel Herrera’s trademark entirely.

Herrera has acknowledged the pressure of the legal fight but says he does not regret creating the brand, even after receiving what he described as strongly worded legal communications.

A final ruling on the trademark dispute is expected before the end of 2026.

The case is being closely watched because Chilean courts have previously allowed businesses to use playful or pun-based names that resemble well-known figures or brands. In past disputes, local companies such as “Miel Gibson,” a honey brand, and “Superpan,” a bakery, were allowed to keep their names despite legal challenges from major entertainment companies.

However, Pascal’s case differs because he is a Chilean-born individual. His legal team is relying on laws that specifically protect a person’s name and identity from being used commercially without permission, which could influence the court’s final decision.