In 2014, Pete Davidson became one of the youngest comedians to become part of the ensemble in the entertainment program Saturday night live. Since then, he has appeared in several films and for a period in 2018, he was closely monitored by American paparazzi photographers due to his engagement to the singer Ariana Grande.

But Davidson had not necessarily envisioned a successful career. A couple of months before he was to turn eight, his father died while serving as a firefighter after the 9/11 attacks in New York.

"Want to move on"

The grief was difficult to deal with and Pete Davidson has been open about being depressed, diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and having problems with drugs. He still lives in his mother's basement in Staten Island, New York.

The film The king of Staten island is Pete Davidson's picture of what his life could have looked like if he had not started with stand-up.

- This family tragedy has been a heavy burden for me to bear. I have always wanted to get it out of me so that I can move on, he says.

Worked as a firefighter

In The King of the State of Iceland, Pete Davidson plays Scott (named after his father). In one scene, he seeks out his father's former firefighter colleagues. One of them is played by Steve Buscemi, who worked as a firefighter before becoming an actor. On September 11, 2001, he volunteered for his old workplace.

But the fact that the actor was in the same place where Davidson's father died, at the same time, was not something they discussed during the filming, he says.

- There was something unspoken between us - that we would leave it in the film.

Watch a longer interview with Pete Davidson, Steve Buscemi and director Judd Apatow in the clip.

King of Staten island premieres 24/7