Pete Davidson is an American comedian, actor, and writer born November 16, 1993, in Staten Island, New York. He joined Saturday Night Live at age 20 in 2014, becoming one of the youngest cast members in the show’s history, and remained for eight seasons until 2022. Davidson has starred in films including The King of Staten Island (2020) and created the Peacock series Bupkis (2023), while openly advocating for mental health awareness throughout his career spanning comedy, television, and film projects.
A comedic force who transformed personal tragedy into professional triumph, Pete Davidson emerged as one of the most recognizable figures in contemporary American entertainment through his tenure on Saturday Night Live and subsequent ventures in film and television. Born Peter Michael Davidson on November 16, 1993, in Staten Island, New York, his early life was marked by profound loss when his father, Scott Davidson, a firefighter, died during the September 11, 2001 attacks. Raised by his mother Amy Davidson following this tragedy, he attended St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School and later Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, where his comedic sensibilities began to develop.
Davidson discovered stand-up comedy at age 16, using humor as an outlet for processing grief and trauma from his father’s death. His early career included guest appearances on shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Wild ‘n Out, where comedian Nick Cannon noticed his talent and helped advance his prospects. Through various comedy tours and radio show appearances, Davidson gradually built recognition before achieving his television breakthrough.
Comedy became Davidson’s therapeutic outlet at sixteen, transforming personal grief into professional momentum through televised appearances and industry recognition.
In 2014, at age 20, Davidson joined the Saturday Night Live cast, becoming one of the youngest performers in the show’s history and the first main cast member born in the 1990s. During his eight-season tenure, which concluded in 2022, he developed a distinctive comedic style characterized by self-deprecating humor and sketches that frequently referenced his personal experiences. This approach garnered national recognition and cultivated a devoted fan base drawn to his vulnerability and authenticity.
Davidson’s film career includes co-writing and starring in the semi-autobiographical The King of Staten Island (2020), which explored themes closely related to his own experiences. Additional projects encompass Big Time Adolescence (2019), The Suicide Squad (2021), Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022), and Meet Cute (2022). He created and starred in the Peacock series Bupkis in 2023, further expanding his creative portfolio. He was also cast as Joey Ramone in the Netflix biopic “I Slept With Joey Ramone.”
His stand-up career produced three specials: SMD (2016), Alive from New York (2020), and Turbo Fonzarelli (2024), praised for their confessional style addressing mental health, relationships, and personal experiences. The title SMD notably honored his father’s initials while carrying dual meaning, reflecting Davidson’s characteristic blend of sentimentality and irreverent humor.
Davidson’s personal life, including his brief engagement to Ariana Grande in 2018 and subsequent high-profile relationships, has attracted significant media attention.
Davidson has been especially open about his mental health challenges, including his borderline personality disorder diagnosis, contributing to broader discussions about mental health awareness in entertainment. His career trajectory demonstrates how personal vulnerability can become a professional asset in contemporary comedy.
