Pete Davidson says making 'The King of Staten Island' forced him to face trauma he'd been 'avoiding for a really long time'

• Pete Davidson said that "The King of Staten Island" pushed him to confront hardships he'd previously avoided during an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning."
• The semi-autobiographical comedy-drama is loosely based off of the "Saturday Night Live" cast member's life in Staten Island, New York.
• The death of Davidson's father in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the comedian's subsequent trauma are addressed in the film.
• "I made a tribute to my mom and dad, and I got to face these things I'd been avoiding for a really long time head-on," Davidson said.
• "The King of Staten Island" is set to be released on June 12 via video on demand.

Pete Davidson's upcoming film "The King of Staten Island" allowed him to work through past struggles, the comedian, 26, explained during an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning."

The comedy-drama, directed by Judd Apatow, chronicles Staten Island-resident Scott's (Davidson) life with his mother following his father's death in the September 11 terrorist attacks. Semi-autobiographical, the film is loosely based on the "Saturday Night Live" star's own story, as his own father Scott, a firefighter, died in the 9/11 attacks when Davidson was 7 years old.

"I made a tribute to my mom and dad, and I got to face these things I'd been avoiding for a really long time head-on," he said of "The King of Staten Island."

Davidson remarked that while his work on "The King of Staten Island" marked an important moment for himself and his career, the road hasn't been straightforward or without difficulty.

The comedian, who has previously opened up about his mental health, said that he got "as close as you can get" to committing suicide a few years ago.

"I got as close as you can get I mean just testing the waters. And until I met the right treatments and met the right doctors and did all the work that you need to do to not feel that way, it got pretty dark and scary," he said.

The comedian drew concern from fans after he posted a message on Instagram that appeared to threaten suicide in December 2018.

"I really don't want to be on this earth anymore," Davidson wrote, continuing, "I'm doing my best to stay here for you but I actually don't know how much longer I can last. All I've ever tried to do was help people. Just remember I told you so."

Davidson has since deleted his Instagram account and hinted that he went to rehab during a February appearance on "SNL."

"The King of Staten Island" addresses some of these real-life struggles. In the film, there's a scene in which Scott speeds down the highway with his eyes closed. It's based on behavior that Davidson used to exhibit before seeking treatment, he explained.

"I used to close my eyes on a closed road usually at night and I would drive without a seatbelt," he said, adding that it's "horrible" to recall.

After getting professional help, Davidson, who lives with his mother in Staten Island, said co-writing and co-producing "The King of Staten Island" served as a method of healing.

"I really wanted this to be cleansing for me," he said. "I feel like I got to speak about it in the biggest way possible and I could get my story out there, so I feel like now, I can let it go."

The project was extremely personal to him due to the subject matter, Davidson explained during an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday.

"It was really hard because it's stuff I would share with my therapist. But Judd really cares, and the hard work that he was doing to find out about my life made me feel so comfortable. He was like, [Judd voice] 'I'm going to need pictures of your dad.' I'm like, 'Oh, no,'" he said, adding that Apatow also collected contact information from Davidson's mother, sister, and friends to fully understand Davidson's story.

The comedian said that by making the movie, he hopes to give people a deeper look at who he is beyond his brief appearances on "SNL."

"I would really like people to understand me. It's cool to get three minutes here and there on Update, but you can't really tell what type of person that is. I could immediately get off set and be very miserable. That isn't a definitive depiction of me. What I wanted to do was have an '8 Mile' moment where it's like, here's everything — say what you want. And it really felt good to get that out there," he said.

"The King of Staten Island" is set to be released on June 12 via video on demand.