The late Paul Reubens, aka Pee-wee Herman, is defining himself after years of speculation about the star’s sexuality.
According to The Hollywood Reporter and Rolling Stone and other outlets, Reubens reveals he was gay in the new documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” which made its debut Thursday night at Sundance Film Festival in Salt Lake City.
“I was out of the closet, and then I went back in the closet,” he said in the documentary, according to Out and the New York Post. “I wasn’t pursuing the Paul Reubens career, I was pursuing the Pee-wee Herman career.”
According to Rolling Stone, the two-part documentary also includes Reubens discussing his relationship with Guy, a painter he lived with in Los Angeles, and says the actor chose his professional life over his personal life.
The documentary also delves into Reubens’ public controversies, which included being arrested for masturbation in a movie theater, possessing child pornography and agreeing to be registered as a sex offender.
“More than anything, the reason I wanted to make a documentary was to let people see who I really am and how painful and difficult it was to be labeled something that I wasn’t,” he said in the film, according to the Los Angeles Times. Being labeled a pedophile changed “everything moving forward and backwards.”
The actor’s representatives had no additional comment when contacted by USA TODAY.
Reubens, 70, died in 2023 after a six-year secret battle with cancer. The estate of the children’s entertainer confirmed news of his death on his official Instagram page.
“Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” the announcement read.
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“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.”
The emotional post featured a quote from Reubens, apologizing to fans for privately managing his health.
“Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,” Reubens said. “I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.”
In 1986, “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” premiered on CBS and the Saturday morning children’s program ran until 1990. After a long hiatus, the character was revived for the stage with “The Pee-wee Herman Show” in 2010, which ran in LA and on Broadway. Six years later, Pee-wee returned on Netflix for the film “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday,” produced by Judd Apatow and co-starring Joe Manganiello.
Apatow was a fan and “he wanted to bring Pee-wee back,” Reubens told USA TODAY in 2016 while discussing the film. “He was key to the return. And he wanted to do a road movie, something that was a nod toward ‘Big Adventure.’ “
(This story has been updated with new information.)
Contributing: Bryan Alexander and Kim Willis