All the Ways “Bupkis” Is and Isn’t Like Pete Davidson’s Actual Life

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Pete Davidson is no stranger to using his own life for comedic material. The King of Staten Island (2020), which Davidson starred in and co-wrote, was a semi-autobiographical film, and Davidson’s work on Saturday Night Life repeatedly referenced his actual life, from his Weekend Update sketches to his “Stuck in the House” music video.

Now he’s at it again with Bupkis, the Peacock original series now streaming. Described as a “heightened fictionalized version of Pete Davidson’s life,” Davidson co-wrote and stars in the show, playing a version of himself (also named Pete Davidson) who lives with his mother in Staten Island while trying to navigate his comedy career and the challenges that come with fame.

The series is “expected to reflect Davidson’s real-life persona with an unapologetically unfiltered, R-rated storytelling,” according to Deadline. Here’s how much of the series is based on Davidson’s actual life.

Davidson’s Mom, Sister, and Girlfriend Will Be Portrayed in the Show

Davidson’s character in Bupkis lives with his mother—though as he defensively states in the trailer: “She lives with me, OK? I pay the mortgage.” Davidson lives with his mother, Amy Waters Davidson, in real life, too, and has repeatedly joked about it on Saturday Night Live, once saying: “It’s not like I moved into her house. I just bought a house with my mom, like a winner.”

In Bupkis, Edie Falco co-stars as Davidson’s mother, and her character also adopts the true-to-reality name of Amy. Joe Pesci plays Joe Larocca, who is Davidson’s grandfather on the show.

Other figures from Davidson’s life are featured in the show, too. Oona Roche plays a fictionalized version of Davidson’s real sister, Casey, while Davidson’s actual current girlfriend, actor Chase Sui Wonders, also portrays his character’s girlfriend in the series.

Kim Kardashian and Davidson’s Father Won’t Be

In The King of Staten Island, the father of Davidson’s character was a deceased firefighter, inspired by the fact that Davidson’s real-life firefighter father, Scott Davidson, died during the September 11 attacks. According to Hollywood Life, however, Davidson’s father will not be portrayed in Bupkis.

Although Davidson has had several high-profile celebrity girlfriends in the past—including Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, and Kate Beckinsale—it does not appear those relationships will factor into Bupkis. When asked about it in an interview with radio host Charlamagne tha God, Davidson responded, “There’s none of that. There’s zero of that.”

What about the Plot?

Beyond incorporating versions of some of his family and friends, Bupkis highlights Davidson’s desire to maintain a low-key life despite his fame. In the trailer, Pete’s character explains, “I just want, like, a regular-type life.” In interviews, Davidson has repeatedly discussed his discomfort with gossip and public obsession about his personal life, particularly his romantic relationships.

At one point in the trailer, Davidson does a Google search of himself and is horrified by the stories he finds. Actual tabloid headlines about Davidson are briefly shown, including one that reads “Is Pete Davidson on Drugs?,” “Living in Mom’s Basement,” and an infamous story about his “Butthole Eyes,” which prompted an angry rebuke from his then-girlfriend Grande.

Even the title of the series, Bupkis, was inspired by Davidson’s actual family. A yiddish term that means “nothing,” it was a favorite expression of Davidson’s grandfather.

“My grandpa used to say it all the time growing up,” Davidson told Charlamagne tha God. “Like, ‘You don’t know bupkis!’ or ‘This is bupkis!’ We just thought it was a fun title… He’s a big fan of TV and film, and he got a kick out of it.”

The Process of Making Bupkis

Not only has Davidson mined his real life for source material in Bupkis, he’s also working with many of his best friends in real life to make the series, according to his interview with Charlamagne tha God. This includes co-writers Judah Miller and Dave Sirus, and directors Jason Orley and Oz Rodriguez.

Davidson said this approach was inspired by comedian Adam Sandler, who is known to have repeatedly worked with his close friends on comedy and film projects over the years, including Rob Schneider, Robert Smigel, Judd Apatow, and Chris Rock.

“I’m just trying to copy what Sandler did because Sandler did it right,” Davidson said. “For the last 30 years, he’s just made movies with his boys and taken care of everyone.”

Watch Bupkis on Peacock Now

Pete Davidson stars in Bupkis, which also features Edie Falco, Joe Pesci, Bobby Cannavale, Charlie Day, Brad Garrett, Ray Romano, Kenan Thompson, and Chase Sui Wonders. It’s now streaming on Peacock.