- Pete Davidson says that he and Eddie Murphy became fast friends on the set of The Pickup.
- The comedian turns to both Murphy and fellow SNL alum Adam Sandler for advice.
- Davidson explains that Murphy and Sandler have both modeled how important it is to ‘stay clean.’
Pete Davidson is getting by with a little help from his famous friends.
The Saturday Night Live alum tells Entertainment Weekly about connecting with Eddie Murphy while shooting their new action-comedy The Pickup.
“We got along real fast, and we both have a lot in common,” Davidson says, highlighting that they both lost their fathers before they were nine and both joined SNL before they were 21. “We were always the young guy amongst a bunch of older dudes. We got along really, really, really well.”
Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson in ‘The Pickup’.
Courtesy Amazon MGM Studios
Davidson says that he was immediately struck by Murphy’s star power. “You’re very aware when Eddie Murphy’s on set — even if you can’t see him, you’re like, ‘I feel his presence,'” he explains, laughing. “He’s one of the few stars left, you know? I would say it’s him, Cruise, Costner — you know, it’s all the older dudes. There’s no real stars anymore.”
The King of Staten Island star says Murphy has become a mentor figure to him along the same lines as another SNL legend, who he now considers a “pal,” Adam Sandler. “They say don’t meet your heroes, but you could meet Adam and Eddie Murphy and you’ll be happy,” Davidson says. “I talk to Uncle Adam every week. He’s just the best.”
Davidson elaborates on his constant communication with the Happy Gilmore actor. “He calls, he gives me some advice, and we just love shooting the s—,” he explains. “And he’s a real fun, silly guy.”
The Bupkis star says he can turn to both Sandler and Murphy for counsel. “Everything that I’m going through now, they went through,” he explains. “So it’s just really helpful to be able to talk to them. Anytime I can, I ask them for, you know, fatherly advice. Adam and Eddie have been killing for 30+ years. That’s not normal, especially in comedy, to be at the top that long. And it’s because they’re great dudes, and they have a great regimen and a great team, and they’re smart. So anything I could absorb from them, I do.”
For example, Davidson looks to Sandler when considering how to approach criticism. “I pick Adam’s brain a lot, even for something like having a movie come out,” he explains. “I’m like, ‘What do you do when reviews come out?’ And he’s like, ‘Don’t. Don’t read ’em. I haven’t read a review in 25 years. Don’t read ’em.'”
Pete Davidson and Adam Sandler on ‘Saturday Night Live’ on May 4, 2019.
Will Heath/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Gett
Murphy, on the other hand, tells Davidson that he’s on the right track. “Eddie was just like, ‘You keep doing what you’re doing, you’re doing all right,'” he says. “And like, you know, ‘Stay clean.’ You know, Eddie never really got into the party sphere, and neither did Adam. And that’s, I think, why they’re so on it. You know, I had my little phase, and just seeing how they are and how quick and sharp and loved and on it — they’re always grounded and doing well.”
Davidson, who has been sober since last year, clarifies that his mentors didn’t explicitly tell him to stay away from the party scene. Still, it is wisdom they’ve passed down nonetheless.
“They didn’t necessarily outright speak to me like, ‘Hey, don’t do this,’ but you know, in talking to them, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, their eyes are on work and family,'” he reflects. “And I think that’s really important when this is their job. And they love being dads. They love family, they love hanging with their friends. And they kind of explain to me how to separate those two. Like, this is a job, but what really matters is your pals and your family.”
Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler at the premiere of ‘Down to Earth’ in 2001.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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Davidson has ideas for future collaborations with both Murphy and Sandler. For the former, he hopes to remake one of his favorite movies: The King of Comedy, Martin Scorsese’s chilling satire starring Robert De Niro as an aspiring stand-up comedian and Jerry Lewis as a disinterested talk show host. “I think it’s Martin Scorsese’s best movie and De Niro’s best performance,” Davidson says. “I don’t know if it can be remade, but Eddie as Jerry Lewis and me as the De Niro character would be f—ing awesome.”
Davidson also says that he hopes to “pop in” during one of the Billy Madison star’s upcoming standup shows, and says the two comedians have been seeking a project to work on together for a long time. “I’d love to do something serious with him,” he says. “I think a father-son type thing would be cool. But we’ve just been trying to find the right thing.”
The Pickup is now streaming on Prime Video.
