José Balmaceda Riera is an experienced medical practitioner. He has been active in the world of fertility medicine for quite a long time. To be specific, he is a fertility doctor and reproductive endocrinologist. José migrated to the USA after leaving his motherland Chile behind. He is popularly known for being the father of Pedro Pascal. His son is a widely recognised Hollywood actor.
The personal life of José Balmaceda Riera has had many ups and downs. He practically had to escape Chile alongside his family due to political tensions and military coup. To explore more details about his personal and professional life, stay tuned. This biography blog is entirely dedicated to José Balmaceda Riera.
José Balmaceda Riera Biography & Wiki
He was officially born as José Balmaceda Riera. His date of birth is August 22, 1948. José was born in Santiago, Chile. He is a professional reproductive endocrinologist who specialises in fertility medicine. He has decades or experience as a licensed doctor.
José Balmaceda Riera didn’t become famous because of his medical career. Instead, the world knows him as the father of Pedro Pascal, an actor. Even his wife, Veronica, is a medical practitioner. To be specific, she is a child psychologist according to sources.

| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | José Balmaceda Riera |
| Date of Birth | August 22, 1948 |
| Age | 77 years old |
| Birthplace | Santiago, Chile |
| Nationality | Chilean and American |
| Profession | Fertility doctor and reproductive endocrinologist |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Marital Status | Married |
Childhood & Upbringing In Chile
While José was being raised in Chile, the entire country was chaotic. Military dictatorship and political tensions made the lives of citizens very difficult. For the same reason, José Balmaceda Riera grew up to oppose the regime of Augusto Pinochet.
He hails from an educated family which encouraged him to enter the world of medicine. His childhood personality is often described as creative and focused. Medical studies kept him occupied for most of the time. The early life of José was marked by passion and uncertain lifestyle.
Educational Background
From a young age, José showed a lot of intelligence. He dreamt of becoming a doctor and focused all his efforts on academics. He completed his schooling at an unnamed institution in Santiago, Chile. Thereafter, he joined a reputable medical college for higher studies. During college, José Balmaceda Riera was heavily invested in research papers. He mainly researched stages of reproduction, development of embryo, hormone cycles, etc. This shaped his path for the future as a fertility medicine practitioner. With more advanced technologies, José was able to research and explore deeply. The names of school and college institutions are unknown.
José Balmaceda Riera Age
José’s birth took place on August 22, 1948. Therefore, he is currently 77 years old.
Physical Appearance
- According to sources, the height of José is 5 feet and 11 inches.
- José Balmaceda Riera weighs around 76 kilograms.
- The color of his hair can be described as salt and pepper or white.
- He is known to have dark brown eyes.
- José has a huge and average body build.
- Lastly, the father of Pedro Pascal has a fair skin complexion.
| Height | 5 feet and 11 inches |
| Weight | 76 kilograms |
| Hair Color | Salt and pepper |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
| Skin Color | White |
| Appearance | Large and average body build |
Family Members of José Balmaceda Riera
The name of his father was José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara. His mother’s name is Juana Riera Bauzá. Unfortunately, both of José Balmaceda Riera’s parents have passed away. His family roots were in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. In terms of siblings, he is accompanied by two sisters, including Ana Maria and Teresa Paulina.
Love Life, Marriage, & Children
José Balmaceda Riera is a married man. The name of his wife is Veronica Pascal Ureta. She was a child psychologist by profession. Veronica passed away back in 1999. Since then, he has raised the kids alone. Speaking of which, José and Veronica had a total of four kids. Their names are Pedro Pascal, Nicolas, Javiera, and Lux Pascal.

José Balmaceda Riera’s Son – Who Is Pedro Pascal?
The official name given to him at birth is José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal. He came into this world on April 2, 1975. Accordingly, Pedro Pascal is 51 years old. He is a professional actor who embarked on his journey back in 1996. Retirement is still very far away from him and Pedro has gained international stardom.
So far, his most popular acting roles are in Game of Thrones, Narcos, The Last of Us, and Marvel’s Fantastic Four. When Pedro Pascal was 9 years old, his entire family escaped from Chile. Thereafter, he spent the rest of his childhood and teenage years in the USA.
Career In Medical Science & Healthcare
José Balmaceda Riera’s professions includes being a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility doctor. He had a successful career in the medical science and healthcare space. With the help of advanced technologies, José was able to provide effective results. As a fertility doctor, he worked for a long time at the University of California, Irvine.
Through his decades of experience, he learned about everything. For example, early reproduction stages, development of embryo, hormone cycles, etc. His research studies never stopped even though José was an active medical practitioner. He continued to study GIFT (Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer).
Other research topics were survival rates of an embryo and process of egg collection. José Balmaceda Riera even owned his own fertility clinic in the USA after migrating from Chile. He worked closely with other expert fertility doctors, such as Dr Ricardo Asch and Dr Sergio Stone. At one point, José landed in a huge controversy. Many doctors at his fertility clinic were accused of medical misconduct.
To be specific, they were allegedly making decisions without asking for patients’ consent and permission. Actions like switching embryos or using embryos from other patients without disclosure landed them in trouble. José even faced legal battles for a long period of time. After the controversy came to an end, José Balmaceda Riera went back to Chile.
Why Did José Balmaceda Riera Leave Chile?
José Balmaceda Riera and his family were fed up with Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. They wanted to leave his regime behind and live somewhere else. The military coup and politics were extremely chaotic. José openly opposed this regime in Chile. That’s why he escaped the country alongside his family. Initially, they lived as refugees at the Venezuelan Embassy in Denmark. Thereafter, José and his family members settled down in San Antonio, Texas. They started living peacefully in the USA. At one point, José moved to Southern California.
José Balmaceda Riera Net Worth
According to sources, José Balmaceda Riera’s net worth is around USD 350K. He earned this wealth through his medical career as a fertility doctor. In comparison, José’s son, Pedro Pascal, has a net worth of USD 10 million.
Trivia & Fun Facts About José Balmaceda Riera
- After leaving the country of Chile, José lived in Denmark before settling in the USA.
- Pedro Pascal changed his surname as a tribute to his mother, Veronica.
- José Balmaceda Riera was a part of a fertility clinic scandal. Mainly, they lacked consent from patients before switching embryos.
- Indeed, José and his family had to leave Chile due to political oppression.
- The Venezuelan Embassy situated in Denmark offered them refuge after escaping Chile.
- Allegedly, José Balmaceda Riera also committed tax fraud as a medical practitioner in the USA.
FAQs
How many children does he have?
José has 4 kids including Pedro Pascal, Nicolas, Javiera, and Lux Pascal.
Who are his parents?
The names of his parents are José Francisco Balmaceda Vergara and Juana Riera Bauzá.
When was José Balmaceda Riera born?
His date of birth is August 22, 1948.
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