"It was immediately clear that he’s a special person": Judd Apatow on meeting Pete Davidson

Comedian and actor Pete Davidson making a name for himself on both the big and small screen – and occasionally in gossip columns.

Currently the youngest cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL), and the first cast member to be born in the 1990s, Davidson’s slots on From the Weekend Update desk have proved to be fan favourites as Davidson offers his unique take on everything from living at home with his mom to current events to viral comedy pieces such as those featuring his recurring character, Chad.

Davidson also made his Netflix comedy special debut with Pete Davidson: Alive from New York, which was released on February 25, 2020.

Davidson’s personal life has lately become tabloid fodder, particularly following his brief engagement to pop star Ariana Grande. But other elements of his personal life have been recurring themes in his comedy, such as his mental health struggles, and his grappling with the death of his father; a firefighter and first responder who died on 9/11.

Recognising Davidson’s ability to blend humour and tragedy, director Judd Apatow suggested that Davidson work on a screenplay of his own.

“Pete wrote a script for me that didn’t pan out,” Apatow says.

“Then one day, Pete mentioned that he wanted his mom to be in a relationship and to be happy. We started kicking around this idea, what would happen if Pete’s mom started dating a fireman…and how would that affect Pete’s character. What would that bring up? There’s nothing funnier than hating your mom’s boyfriend.”

The director felt that no one but Davidson could be this raw. “When I first met Pete, I was just amazed at how funny he was,” Apatow says.

“He was very advanced and mature, as both a writer and a comic thinker. It was immediately clear he’s a special person. He’s someone that people are interested in and sympathetic to. He’s charismatic, and we are interested in his struggle. People want to know how he’s doing. This movie is a way for him to express what he’s been through, and how’s he’s fought through it.”

The filmmaker admits that he usually makes comedies with drama, but, with The King of Staten Island, it was time to make a drama that has comedy in it. “I tried to reverse my priorities,” Apatow says.

“The most important thing here was the story and the characters and the people. I thought, ‘Well, I’d like it to be funny, but it doesn’t have to be riotous in every scene. Let’s just tell this story with very entertaining people in it, and we’ll see where it lands comedically.”

For more from Judd Apatow as well as the three lead actresses of The King Of Staten Island – Oscar winner Marisa Tomei, Bel Powley and Maude Apatow, pick up our new issue of Hot Press on June 11.

The King Of Staten Island is available to rent at home from June 12.

Watch the full trailer below: