Pete Davidson's Friends Fear His 'Demons' Will Return As He Dives Into THIS Punk Rock Movie Role!

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

Oh no! Is Pete Davidson putting himself into some risky territory?

The Saturday Night Live alum is about to venture into one of his biggest projects yet — but his inner circle fears it could be detrimental to his mental health!

According to the US Sun on Wednesday, the 29-year-old comedian is supposed to start production on Netflix’s upcoming biopic I Slept with Joey Ramone, about the legendary frontman of the Ramones, next year. But a Hollywood insider fears some of the heavy subject matter surrounding the late rock star could cause Pete’s “demons” to get the better of him.

If you didn’t know, Joey (born Jeffrey Ross Hyman) was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 18 and battled obsessive-compulsive disorder before he passed away of lymphoma at 49 in April 2001. So sad.

Similarly, Pete’s been open about his own struggles with mental health in the past, which were seemingly exacerbated over the last year amid his relationship (and subsequent split) with Kim Kardashian amid an onslaught of verbal abuse from Kanye West. Following the tragic death of his firefighter father in the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers, he’s struggled with suicidal thoughts and borderline personality disorder. So, it seems that’s why some of his friends worry he might be taking on too much with this role. The source opened up:

“Pete was interested in this role because it allows him to tap into the tragedies of his own life for more than just laughs or cringe moments. Now that he’s off SNL he has his future to think about.”

The insider continued:

“Pete is taking on this project because he wants respect in the acting business, plain and simple. But going so deep down this hole is risky, especially with everything Pete is juggling at the moment. Pete has put himself under serious pressure since he left Saturday Night Live and this is by far his biggest challenge yet.”

A challenge that may not have a happy ending, the source ominously added:

“But even with all his success he still acts like he has everything to prove. Quite frankly, it’s a recipe for disaster.”

Oof. We hope it’s not a disaster!!

While this reaction is a bit harsh, their concerns are understandable. Plenty of stars have struggled with mental health issues in the past after taking on difficult characters. It can be hard to be in the mindset of someone else for so many months on end while filming. And with Joey’s mental health struggles being so similar to Pete’s, we could see how that might get complicated.

But, on the other hand, Pete’s not one to shy away from seeking help, and he has proven so by attending therapy sessions amid Ye’s hatred and signing off of social media to shield himself from unnecessary drama. This seems to suggest he isn’t willing to do anything to jeopardize his health. And good for him! Also, he has a lot of things looking up in his life right now, too, including his new romance with model Emily Ratajkowski!

While people close to him are on edge, the actor is focused on preparing for the role the best he can — and he’s turning to another big star for help. The King of Staten Island lead has reached out to Rami Malek for support, according to the source. Rami famously won the Best Actor Academy Award in 2019 for his role as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, so he knows a thing or two about this kind of movie! The insider dished:

“Look, Pete is trying to make his own Bohemian Rhapsody here and it’s not a fool’s errand, they have already worked to get the Ramones script to that level.”

Whoa! Going for the gold! Even more reason we hope Pete’s “demons” don’t come back to haunt him in the process. The outlet’s confidant continued:

“Pete’s quirky friendship with Rami Malek goes back a few years, they really like each other and now he’s going to be doing a move straight out of Rami’s playbook by taking on a music icon, and really living as that character whenever he can as part of the preparation. Pete wants to scare the crap out of people with how close he can get to the real Joey, and Rami is his north star for how to really live the process.”

Sounds like he’s getting advice from the right kinds of people!

The upcoming music biopic is based on a book of the same name written by the punk rock performer’s brother Mickey Leigh, who will also serve as an executive producer of the film. It was first announced last April on the 20th anniversary of Joey’s tragic death. It’s unclear when it will be released, but it sounds like Pete’s doing everything in his power to make it amazing! Thoughts?! Do you think this role could be problematic for the stand-up star? Let us know (below)!

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, help is available. Consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, by calling, texting, or chatting, or go to 988lifeline.org.

[Image via Late Night/YouTube & WENN]