Peter Davidson: Movies & Box Office

Peter Michael Davidson (born November 16, 1993), known professionally as Pete Davidson, is an American comedian, actor, and writer who rose to fame as one of the youngest cast members ever on NBC's Saturday Night Live. Born in the Staten Island borough of New York City to Amy (née Waters) and Scott Matthew Davidson, his life was profoundly shaped by tragedy when his father, a New York City firefighter for Ladder 118, was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks while running up the stairs of the Marriott World Trade Center. Davidson was just seven years old at the time, and he has openly spoken about how the trauma led him to act out in school, even ripping out his hair until he was bald. He struggled with suicidal thoughts during his youth and has credited the music of Kid Cudi with saving his life. Davidson first attempted stand-up comedy at age sixteen after being dared by friends at a Staten Island bowling alley. After attending multiple high schools, including Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, he briefly enrolled at St. Francis College before dropping out to pursue comedy full-time. He is of mixed Jewish and Irish descent, with some distant German and Italian roots, and was raised Catholic alongside his younger sister Casey. Davidson has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease and borderline personality disorder, both of which he has discussed candidly in his stand-up. He has also been open about his past recreational drug use and his journey toward sobriety, announcing in March 2017 that he had been clean for the first time in eight years. Davidson joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in September 2014 at age 20, becoming the first cast member born in the 1990s. He was introduced to producer Lorne Michaels by fellow cast member Bill Hader. During his eight seasons on the show, Davidson created memorable characters like the apathetic Chad and was praised for his willingness to mine personal trauma for comedy. His breakout sketch with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, which involved the two entangled in the "69" position after sucking poison from each other, became iconic. Following his SNL tenure, Davidson starred in and co-wrote the semi-autobiographical comedy-drama The King of Staten Island (2020) with director Judd Apatow, starred in The Suicide Squad (2021) as Blackguard, and voiced characters in major franchises including Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. He has released three comedy specials: Pete Davidson: SMD (2016), Alive from New York (2020), and Turbo Fonzarelli (2024). Davidson's personal life has attracted significant media attention, including his high-profile engagement to singer Ariana Grande in 2018 (which ended shortly after), his nine-month relationship with Kim Kardashian in 2021-2022, and his relationship with model Elsie Hewitt, with whom he welcomed a daughter in December 2025. In 2023, he co-created and starred in the Peacock series Bupkis, and in January 2026, he began a weekly program on Netflix called The Pete Davidson Show. Davidson's comedy style is characterized by observational humor, self-deprecation, and an unflinching willingness to tackle topics like mental health, loss, and personal vulnerability.