Pete Davidson Tells CBS SUNDAY MORNING His New Movie Was 'Cleansing' For Him

Comic Pete Davidson is known for making himself - and his life growing up on Staten Island - the subject of his comedy. Davidson mines that story even more in his new film "The King of Staten Island," which he says was a cleansing process, in an interview with Tony Dokoupil for CBS SUNDAY MORNING to be broadcast June 7 (9:00 AM ET) on the CBS Television Network.

The film, co-written with Judd Apatow, is three quarters autobiographical, according to Davidson. It revolves around a drifting twentysomething from Staten Island, who is struggling after his father, a firefighter, died in the line of duty. Marisa Tomei plays his mom and Bill Burr plays a firefighter trying to date her.

"I just always wanted to show where I'm coming from," Davidson tells Dokoupil, co-host of CBS THIS MORNING. "Pretty much how a tragedy affects a family. And, I think, there hasn't been many of those movies that are, like, really honest and transparent."

Like his character, Davidson grew up in Staten Island and still lives there. Also, his father, a New York City firefighter, died responding to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Comedy, he tells Dokoupil, became a way to cope. At age 20, he became one of the youngest ever cast members of "Saturday Night Live."

"Pete's just one of those guys, you see him and right away, you think that he's gonna do great things," Apatow says. "The important thing is that he's just insanely funny."

Davidson talks with Dokoupil about Staten Island, his childhood, his career and some of the darker moments in his life. Davidson has been open about his personal struggles in recent years, including bouts of depression. He says the film is part of getting his story out and has been "cleansing for me."

"I got everything I wanted out of it," Davidson says of the film that will debut online June 12. "I made a tribute to my mom and dad. And, I got to face, you know, these things I've been avoiding for a really long time head on. And, I couldn't ask for, you know, anything more really."

CBS SUNDAY MORNING is broadcast Sundays (9:00-10:30 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network. Rand Morrison is the executive producer.

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