| Pete Davidson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Davidson in 2015 | |
| Birth name | Peter Michael Davidson |
| Born | (1993-11-16)November 16, 1993 (age 31) New York City, U.S. |
| Medium |
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| Education | Xaverian High School |
| Alma mater | St. Francis College (dropped out) |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Genres | |
| Subject(s) | |
Peter Michael Davidson (born November 16, 1993) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He began his career in the early 2010s with minor guest roles onBrooklyn Nine-Nine,Friends of the People,Guy Code, andWild 'n Out before being hired as cast member on theNBC late-night sketch comedy seriesSaturday Night Live which he starred in for eight seasons from2014 to2022.
Following his rise to prominence onSNL, Davidson starred in and executive produced the comedy filmBig Time Adolescence (2019), and co-wrote and starred in the semi-autobiographical comedy-drama filmThe King of Staten Island (2020), and thePeacock seriesBupkis (2023). He continued acting in films such asThe Suicide Squad (2021),Bodies Bodies Bodies, andMeet Cute (both 2022). Davidson has also released three comedy specials:Pete Davidson: SMD (2016),Pete Davidson: Alive from New York (2020), andPete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli (2024).
Peter Michael Davidson[1] was born on November 16, 1993 in theStaten Island borough ofNew York City to parents Amy (née Waters) and Scott Matthew Davidson.[2][3] Scott was aNew York City firefighter for Ladder 118 who died in service during theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks, along with the rest of his unit.[4] He was last seen running up the stairs of theMarriott World Trade Center inDowntown Manhattan just before the building was destroyed when theTwin Towers collapsed. HisRequiem Mass was held atSt. Clare's Catholic Church inGreat Kills, Staten Island. Davidson, then aged seven, was profoundly affected by the loss. He toldThe New York Times that it was "overwhelming" and that he later acted out in school as a result of the trauma, at one point ripping his hair out until he was bald.[5] In October 2016, he revealed onThe Breakfast Club morning radio show that he struggled with suicidal thoughts when he was younger and that the music ofKid Cudi saved his life.[6]
Davidson's father was predominantly ofJewish ancestry,[7][8] with some distantGerman,Irish andItalian roots. His mother is of mostly Irish ancestry, with some distant German roots.[5] He has a younger sister named Casey,[9][10] and was raisedCatholic.[5][11] Davidson attendedSt. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, and thenTottenville High School inHuguenot, before transferring toXaverian High School inBay Ridge, Brooklyn and graduating from there in 2011. After high school, Davidson enrolled atSt. Francis College inBrooklyn Heights,[3] which he attended for one semester upon which he decided todropped out to pursue a full-time career in comedy.[12][13] He first tried stand-up comedy at age sixteen in a Staten Island bowling alley, where a group of friends that included future professional baseball playerMatt Festa, knowing of his comedy aspirations, dared him to take to the stage.[14]
Davidson's earliest onscreen appearance was in the third episode of the MTV comedy seriesFailosophy, which premiered February 28, 2013.[15] The following month, he appeared in "PDA and Moms", a third-season episode of theMTV2 reality TV comedy seriesGuy Code, the first of four episodes in which he was featured.[16] That June, his first televised standup aired as part of a second-season episode of theComedy Central programGotham Comedy Live, which showcases standup comedians at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. The following month, he returned to MTV2 with an appearance onNick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out, his first of six appearances on that show. He subsequently made standup appearances on television and appeared inBrooklyn Nine-Nine.[17] In 2014, he acquired a role in a Fox comedy pilot,Sober Companion,[18] but it ultimately did not make it to series.[19]
Davidson joined the cast ofSaturday Night Live with the show's 40th-season premiere, which debuted on September 27, 2014. At age 20, he was the firstSNL cast member to be born in the 1990s and one of the youngest cast members ever.[13][20] The first new addition to the cast that season,[12] Davidson was given a chance to audition for the show through regularBill Hader, whom he had met while filming a small part in the 2015Judd Apatow feature film comedyTrainwreck.[21] Hader subsequently told producerLorne Michaels about him. His debut garnered positive critical notice,[21][22] with his most noted skits during the season including anIndiana Jones-style sketch in which he andDwayne "The Rock" Johnson, after being pelted with poison darts, were forced to mutually suck poison out of each other's various body parts,[14][23] an endeavor that eventually found them entangled in the"69" position.[24] Another involved Davidson being shot in the chest with an arrow byNorman Reedus.[14] Over the years, Davidson played a number of characters, the most famous beingChad, an easily distracted apathetic man who first appeared in theseason 41 episode hosted byJulia Louis-Dreyfus, as a pool boy who becomes entangled with a lonely housewife.
In March 2015, Davidson was a roaster on theComedy Central Roast ofJustin Bieber, and his set was praised as one of the best of the show.[25] Among his bolder jokes was one at the expenses of fellow roasterSnoop Dogg, hostKevin Hart, and their 2004 filmSoul Plane. Davidson, whose firefighter father died responding to the September 11 attacks, called the film "the worst experience of [his] life involving a plane".[14] In 2016, he was placed on theForbes 30 under 30 list.[26] In April of that year,Comedy Central filmed Davidson's first stand-up special,Pete Davidson: SMD, inNew York City.[27]
In January 2019, it was announced that Davidson would be touring withJohn Mulaney inNew York,New Jersey,Pennsylvania, andMassachusetts for a limited series of comedy shows titled "Sundays with Pete & John". Mulaney and Davidson became close after appearing together onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon andSaturday Night Live.[28] That May, after the44th-season finale ofSNL, Travis M. Andrews ofThe Washington Post credited Davidson with being the most memorable performer that season and its breakout star, which Andrews attributed to Davidson's mining of his personal struggles and his admission of his comedic missteps, which Andrews felt gave the season a mixture of comedy and pathos.[29]
Davidson collaborated withMachine Gun Kelly to write the sketch "A Message from the Count" for Kelly's albumHotel Diablo. In 2019 he starred in Jason Orley'sBig Time Adolescence, and had supporting roles inAdam Shankman'sWhat Men Want,Jeff Tremaine'sThe Dirt,Thurop Van Orman'sThe Angry Birds Movie 2, andJohn Turturro'sThe Big Lebowskispin-offThe Jesus Rolls. In February 2020, Davidson released his stand up specialAlive from New York on Netflix.[30] In May 2020,The King of Staten Island was released, which Davidson both starred in and co-wrote withJudd Apatow, who also directed. Davidson was nominated for The Comedy Movie Star of 2020 for his work inThe King of Staten Island and The Comedy Act of 2020Pete Davidson: Alive from New York at the46th People's Choice Awards.[31] In April 2021, Davidson was cast asJoey Ramone in aNetflix biopicI Slept With Joey Ramone, based on the late singer's brother's memoir of the same name. Davidson will also serve as co-writer and executive producer.[32] In August 2021, he appeared asBlackguard inThe Suicide Squad directed byJames Gunn.[33] He voicedMarmaduke in ananimated film released on Netflix on May 6, 2022.[34] Following lengthy absences inseason 47, it was announced shortly before its finale that it would be Davidson's last onSaturday Night Live.[35]
In 2023, Davidson starred in thePeacock original seriesBupkis, which he also co-wrote.[36] The series debuted to mixed reviews withThe Guardian describing it as "messy" and compared it unfavorably to other shows, writing, "Though every piece seems to come from somewhere else, a derivative streak that undercuts the touches of personal specificity. Pete’s existential ambling suggests a dumberLouie, his travails in the surreal demimonde of celebrity suggest a dumberAtlanta, and his dealings with his coterie of hangers-on suggest a slightly less-dumbEntourage."[37] Despite Peacock renewing the series for a second season, Davidson chose to not move forward with one.[38]
In 2023 Davidson acted in three high-profile action franchise films. He appeared as Phlektik inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Bowie inFast X, and voiced Mirage inTransformers: Rise of the Beasts.
Davidson has been praised for basing his comedy on his own life and employing aspects of his life that have been likened to "a series of brutal truths and vulgar confessions" which make him relatable to audiences. He touches upon topics such as marijuana, sex, and relationships. He talks about incidents from his awkward high school experiences to living in a dormitory during his brief stint atSt. Francis College.[13] He jokes about highly sensitive subjects, including the loss of his father during the September 11 attacks. He says he finds that it empowers him to address the feeling of powerlessness that experiencing such tragedy at a young age inflicted upon him.[5]
In October 2015, Davidson lived inBrooklyn Heights, New York.[5] In 2019, he lived inStaten Island with his mother in a home they purchased together.[39][40][41] In April 2021, he moved into his own residence in Staten Island.[42] In February 2022, Davidson announced plans to move from Staten Island to Brooklyn.[43] Davidson is godfather of Leo, the son of fellow comedian and friendRicky Velez.[44] He is close friends withSeattle Mariners pitcherMatthew Festa; the two were classmates atSt. Joseph by the Sea High School.
Davidson at one time had many tattoos, but had about 200 removed by 2025, intending to keep two or three, "trying to clean slate it, trying to be an adult".[45][contradictory]
Davidson supportedHillary Clinton in the2016 U.S. presidential election, and on December 5, 2017, he stated on hisInstagram account that he got a tattoo on his leg of Clinton, whom he called his "hero", a "badass", and "one of the strongest people in the universe". Clinton herself thanked Davidson for the compliment, joking: "This makes it significantly less awkward that I've had a Pete Davidson tattoo for years."[46] He supportedJoe Biden in the2020 U.S. presidential election.[47]
In 2023, Davidson, along with fellowSNL comedianColin Jost, purchased a decommissionedStaten Island Ferry boat.[48][49][50] The ferry was used in the filmScreamboat.[51]
Davidson was diagnosed withCrohn's disease at age 17 or 18, for which he receives intravenousbiologic therapy, and has usedmedical marijuana for pain management and recreationally.[52] On March 6, 2017, Davidson announced on his Instagram account that he had quit drugs and was sober for the first time in eight years.[6] During an interview on comedianMarc Maron's podcast, Davidson clarified that the only drug he used was marijuana and, while he has since cut back on its use considerably, the personal and emotional problems he initially assumed were the result of his daily marijuana use were actually caused by his newly diagnosedborderline personality disorder, for which he has since been undergoing treatment.[53][54]
On December 3, 2018, Davidson shared a candidInstagram post in which he expressed thoughts of suicide, before deleting his account on the social media platform entirely.[55] TheNew York Police Department conducted awellness check on Davidson in response to social media posts from followers and former fiancéeAriana Grande.[56][57] Davidson had been at theSaturday Night Live studio at the time preparing for the last episode of the year before its holiday hiatus. Davidson andJohn Mulaney, comedian and formerSNL writer, made humorous references to the Instagram post during theWeekend Update segment of the first episode following the holiday hiatus on January 19, 2019.[58]
Davidson dated comedianCarly Aquilino from 2014 until 2015[15] and actressCazzie David from 2016 to 2018.[59][60][61]
In May 2018, he started dating singerAriana Grande after her breakup withMac Miller.[62] In June 2018, Davidson confirmed he was engaged to Grande, but the engagement was called off in October 2018 after Mac Miller's death.[63][64][65][66] Grande's song about Davidson, titled "Pete Davidson", appears on her 2018 albumSweetener. She also referenced him in her song "Thank U, Next" with the lyric, "Even almost got married / And for Pete I'm so thankful".[67] The relationship is also notable for popularizing the term "Big Dick Energy".[68]
In January 2019, Davidson was reported to be in a relationship with actressKate Beckinsale, twenty years his senior, but by April they had "called time on their romance".[69] In response to media comments about the age difference, he said that such an age gap was new to him and that the media should ask older men in longer relationships with younger women such asLeonardo DiCaprio,Alec Baldwin,Larry King, andDonald Trump about it.[70]
He also dated actressMargaret Qualley, daughter ofAndie MacDowell until their relationship ended in October 2019.[71] He was involved with modelKaia Gerber from October 2019 to January 2020.[72] In August 2021, he split fromBridgerton actressPhoebe Dynevor, daughter of actressSally Dynevor, after a five-month relationship.[73]
Davidson andKim Kardashian were first spotted out together in October 2021 following Kardashian's appearance onSaturday Night Live.[74] During her time hosting an episode of SNL, the two shared an on-screen kiss in a Disney-themed sketch, where they playedJasmine andAladdin.[75] They began dating in November 2021.[74] Previously, Kardashian filed for divorce from husbandKanye West in February 2021.[74] Following a very public split, Kardashian was legally declared single by a judge in March 2022.[75] West referenced the relationship in his 2022 track "Eazy", in which he threatens to "beat Pete Davidson's ass".[74] The music video for Eazy depicted a claymation figure of Davidson being kidnapped, buried, and showed his severed head.[75] West further attacked Davidson on Instagram in February of the same year, calling him a "dickhead" and "Hillary Clinton's ex boyfriend".[76] In August 2022, Davidson and Kardashian split up after nine months of dating.[77]
Between December 2022 and August 2023, Davidson dated actressChase Sui Wonders.[78][79] The two met on the set ofBodies Bodies Bodies and she later co-starred in Davidson's streaming seriesBupkis.[80] He dated actressMadelyn Cline from September 2023 to July 2024.[81]
In 2025, Davidson spoke about all the media attention surrounding his relationships stating: "It was pretty humiliating and upsetting, honestly. Everyone is dating everyone and it’s Hollywood ... But because I’m ugly, they wrote about me. I was harassed for like five years and it made my life a living hell."[82]
In March 2025, Davidson started dating modelElsie Hewitt.[83]
In March 2022, spaceflight companyBlue Origin announced that Davidson would be an "honorary guest" alongside five paying customers onboardNS-20, a suborbital flight of itsNew Shepard craft planned for later that month.[84] However, the flight was rescheduled, and Blue Origin announced that Davidson was "no longer able" to join the crew of the craft.[85]
On March 4, 2023, Davidson crashed his car into a house while driving late at night. No one was injured in the crash. He was later charged with a misdemeanor for "reckless driving",[86][87] and agreed to complete 50 hours of community service and attend 12 hours of traffic school as part of adiversion program.[88]
TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn demanded an apology from Davidson in March 2019, after anSNL sketch where he compared theCatholic Church toR. Kelly, an entertainer who had been accused and subsequently convicted ofpedophilia. In the sketch, Davidson said, "[Kelly] is a monster and he should go to jail forever. But if you support the Catholic Church, isn't that like the same thing as being an R. Kelly fan? I don't really see the difference, except for one's music is significantly better."[89] In a statement posted on its website, the diocese criticized the "disgraceful and offensive skit" and added, "The faithful of our Church are disgusted by the harassment by those in news and entertainment, and this sketch offends millions. The mockery of this difficult time in the Church's history serves no purpose."[90] Davidson's comments came after the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens agreed to a record $27.5 million settlement for sex abuse allegations in September 2018.[91]
Davidson was criticized for mockingRepublican congressional candidateDan Crenshaw, who wears an eye patch as a result of a wound incurred while serving inAfghanistan.[92] He compared Crenshaw to "a hitman in a porno movie" and added, "I'm sorry, I know he lost his eye in war or whatever."[93][94][95][96][97] In response to backlash over the comments, Davidson apologized and appeared beside Crenshaw the following Saturday on anSNLWeekend Update segment. Crenshaw accepted Davidson's apology and called on Americans to "never forget" the service and sacrifices of veterans.[98] In his 2020Netflix specialAlive from New York, Davidson implied that the apology had been issued only because he had been told to do so.[99]
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee(s) / Work(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Raspberry Awards[100] | 2023 | Worst Actor | Marmaduke | Nominated |
| Worst Supporting Actor | Good Mourning | Nominated | ||
| People's Choice Awards[100] | 2020 | Comedy Movie of 2020 | The King of Staten Island | Nominated |
| Comedy Movie Star of 2020 | Nominated | |||
| Comedy Act of 2020 | Pete Davidson: Alive from New York | Nominated |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | School Dance | Stinkfinger | |
| 2015 | Trainwreck | Dr. Conner's Patient | |
| 2018 | Set It Up | Duncan | |
| 2019 | What Men Want | Danny | Uncredited |
| Big Time Adolescence | Zeke | Also executive producer | |
| The Dirt | Tom Zutaut | ||
| The Angry Birds Movie 2 | Jerry (voice) | ||
| The Jesus Rolls | Jack Bersome | ||
| 2020 | The King of Staten Island | Scott Carlin | Also writer and executive producer |
| 2021 | The Suicide Squad | Richard Hertz / Blackguard | |
| 2022 | I Want You Back | Jase | Cameo |
| Bodies Bodies Bodies | David | ||
| Marmaduke | Marmaduke (voice) | ||
| Good Mourning | Barry[101] | ||
| Meet Cute | Gary | Also executive producer | |
| 2023 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | Phlektik | Cameo[102] |
| Fast X | Bowie | Cameo[103] | |
| Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | Mirage (voice) | ||
| Dumb Money | Kevin Gill[104] | ||
| Good Burger 2 | Angry customer | Cameo | |
| 2024 | Riff Raff | Lonnie | |
| 2025 | Dog Man | Petey (voice) | |
| TBA | The Home | Max | Post-production[105] |
| Wizards! | Post-production[106] | ||
| The Pickup | Post-production[citation needed] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–2014 | Wild 'N Out | Himself | 7 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Guy Code | Himself | Recurring |
| 2013 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Steven | Episode: "The Slump" |
| 2014 | Friends of the People | White supremacist | Episode: "The Horror" |
| 2014–2022 | Saturday Night Live | Various | 159 episodes |
| 2016 | The Jim Gaffigan Show | Jeffy | Episode: "The List" |
| Pete Davidson: SMD | Himself | Stand-up special | |
| 2017 | Eighty-Sixed | Waiter | Episode: "The Birthday Monster" |
| Click, Clack, Moo: Christmas at the Farm | Duck (voice) | Television film | |
| 2018 | The Guest Book | Clem | Episode: "Invisible Son" |
| 2020 | Pete Davidson: Alive from New York | Himself | Stand-up special |
| The Real Bros of Simi Valley | Grady | 2 episodes | |
| 2020–2022 | The Rookie | Pete Nolan | 3 episodes |
| 2020–present | The Freak Brothers | Phineas T. Phreakers (voice) | Main role |
| 2021 | The Now | Hardware Employee | Episode: "Call From... Mother" |
| 2022 | The Kids in the Hall | Donovan | Episode 1[107] |
| Pete Davidson Presents: The Best Friends | Himself (host) | Stand-up special | |
| Murderville | Himself | Episode: "Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery" | |
| The Kardashians | Himself | ||
| 2023 | American Dad! | Toad Button (voice) | Episode: "Viced Principal" |
| Bupkis | Himself | Main role; also creator, writer, and executive producer | |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | Season 49 | |
| 2024 | Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Rod (voice) |
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "A Message from the Count" | 2019 | Machine Gun Kelly | Hotel Diablo | Guest appearance |
| "Kevin and Barracuda (Interlude)" | 2020 | Tickets to My Downfall | Guest appearance | |
| "Wall of Fame (Interlude)" | 2022 | Mainstream Sellout | Guest appearance | |
| "Who Am I" | 2023 | Chris Webby | 28 Wednesdays | |
| "Houdini" | 2024 | Eminem | The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
