After taking some time out of the spotlight before returning transformed and tattoo-free in a Reformation campaign, Pete Davidson is ready to talk about how it felt to be under severe scrutiny because of his relationships with famous women like Ariana Grande and Kim Kardashian, and the truth isn’t pretty.
In an exclusive interview with Page Six, the SNL alum argued that the reason his love life has prompted particularly vicious coverage is because he’s “ugly”.
“Everyone is dating everyone and it’s Hollywood. Look at Paul Mescal, Timmy [Chalamet], Barry Keoghan. But because I’m ugly, they wrote about me. I was harassed for like five years and it made my life a living hell.”
Davidson, who joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2014, didn’t become a tabloid mainstay until he started dating, and became engaged to, pop megastar and now-Academy Award nominee Ariana Grande in May 2018.
Following their whirlwind romance, which ended later that year after Grande had dedicated a song to him on 2018’s Sweetener, Davidson was also linked with actresses Kate Beckinsale, Margaret Qualley, Kaia Gerber, and Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor.
In 2021, Davidson embarked upon another high-profile relationship, this time with Kardashian. Their relationship lasted nine months until their breakup in August 2022, and included public spats with Kardashian’s ex-husband, Kanye West. Since splitting from Kardashian, Davidson has dated his Bodies Bodies Bodies co-star Chase Sui Wonders and Outer Banks‘ Madelyn Cline.
Davidson explained that he finds the public’s preoccupation with his love life “embarrassing,” noting, “you want people to write about your work.” For example: At just 20 years old, Davidson was one of SNL’s youngest cast members yet. But, he says, “all that got pushed to the side because of who I was dating.”
Davidson was the fourth-youngest cast member in SNL history, beaten only by Anthony Michael Hall, Eddie Murphy, and Robert Downey Jr., making him the youngest SNL cast member this century.
Davidson is currently starring in Dog Man, which topped the U.S. box office last week, and he will be returning to Studio 8H for SNL’s 50th anniversary special this weekend.
