Pete Davidson is calling out critics of Pedro Pascal for playing into what he says is a never-ending cycle of people building up celebrities only to rapidly take them down.
During an appearance on This Past Weekend podcast, the Saturday Night Live alum spoke with host Theo Von about the ups and downs of fame, which includes the rabid response from fans that can change from praise to criticism at a moment’s notice.
“And it feels like it’s dirty, but it’s just the most opportune cycle,” Von said. “Every moment of it, there’s a possibility for everything, right?”
Davidson agreed, noting, “They can’t wait, right?” before explaining why he believes Pascal is the latest example of the trend.
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“F—ing two years ago, he’s a hardworking, great actor,” he said. “But everyone was like, ‘He’s worked so hard and has been a struggling actor.’ F—ing blows up so f—ing hard. Everyone’s like, ‘Daddy, daddy! Yeah, daddy, daddy.'”
“Then a year later, he’s, like, in everything now ’cause he’s hot and big, and everyone’s like, ‘Go the f— away, dude,'” Davidson said.
Davidson’s comments come amid what many have dubbed “The Summer of Pedro,” with the Chile-born actor starring in multiple projects, including the second season of The Last of Us, in which he made his heartbreaking final appearance; Ari Aster‘s film Eddington; Celine Song‘s romantic dramedy Materialists opposite Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans; and his Marvel debut as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, a character he’ll reprise in Avengers: Doomsday.
Davidson noted that the 50-year-old actor has been “banging at it for 30 years and now he’s, like, learning how to go get a cup of coffee or, like, deal with someone that taps you on the shoulder while you have your earbuds in and freaks you out.”
“You got to give that guy a f—ing second to, like, adjust,” the comedian added.
And Davidson predicted the next victim of the cycle, telling Von that he sees the same thing happening to The White Lotus season 3 star Walton Goggins soon.
The Justified and Shield alum has seen a similar rise in attention as Pascal after his portrayal as Rick Hatchett in the recent installment of Mike White‘s acclaimed series, which earned Goggins his third Emmy nomination, in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category.
“They’re going to do it with Walton Goggins … next,” he said.
“It’s like we build everybody up,” he continued. “It’s, like, so fast to turn [on the celebrity].”
Von agreed, saying “The turn is crazy,” to which Davidson responded, “Bro. It’s, like, within months.”
Davidson is intimately familiar with the 180 that the public’s attention can take.
Last month, the Pickup star reflected on the intense media attention that came from his high-profile relationships during his early career years on Saturday Night Live during an appearance on The Breakfast Club. A few years into his tenure as a cast member on the variety series, his relationship with Ariana Grande led to a media frenzy that spilled into his work on SNL.
Davidson, who has been candid about his substance abuse and mental health struggles over the years, has said that he intentionally retreated from the public eye a bit due to the media frenzies over his high-profile relationships with celebs like Grande, Kim Kardashian, Emily Ratajkowski, Kate Beckinsale, Bridgerton‘s Phoebe Dynevor, and Chase Sui Wonders.
The Breakfast Club cohost Charlamagne tha God asked what caused Davidson’s discomfort, pointing out, “You was banging a lot of hot chicks and you had a 10-inch penis.”
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“You know, on paper, that sounds great,” Davidson acknowledged, to the laughter of the cohosts. “It’s embarrassing, ’cause, you know… It’s Hollywood. Everybody f—- everyone.” He questioned, “Why are they focusing on me?”
The Pickup star — who signed off in the season 47 finale in 2022 — shared that he believes the viral attention was mainly because he’s “not Glen Powell handsome,” and people were questioning how he captured the attention of his partners. “I’m just like this dude that tells dick jokes and is a drug addict.”
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However, Davidson noted that the “sexualization of me” was out of hand. “If that was a girl, people would be like, there would be a march for it,” he reasoned. “Seriously. You’re just talking about my dick all day… They don’t talk about girls like that professionally. Like it was professional, it was like pointed out on the street. Like it was embarrassing.”
Nowadays, David is radiating a new king of BDE, namely big dad energy. He and his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, are expecting their first child, she revealed July 16 on social media.
