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Pee-Wee as Himself is a 2025 documentary directed by Matt Wolf. It is “a chronicle of the life of artist and performer Paul Reubens and his alter ego Pee-wee Herman. Prior to his recent death, Reubens spoke in-depth about his creative influences, and the personal struggles he faced to persevere as an artist.”
The documentary debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2025. It premieres on HBO/Max on 23 May 2025 as a two-part documentary
Synopsis:
Driven by a soul-baring interview with Paul Reubens, the man behind the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, PEE-WEE AS HIMSELF is the definitive portrait of the comedic performer, and a window into his never before discussed personal life. Determined to correct the record and tell the factual story of his life, Reubens excavates his kaleidoscopic influences, origins in the circus and avant-garde performance theater, and career choices, while reflecting on the reasoning behind, and the consequences of, severing his beloved alter ego from his authentic self.
Woven together from over 40 hours of interview footage filmed before Reubens’ premature death in 2023, 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of never-before-seen photographs from his personal collections, the film chronicles Reubens’ influences, from growing up in the circus town of Sarasota, Florida to his avant-garde theater training at the California Institute of the Arts. Combining his love of performance art and comedy, Reubens joined the legendary Groundlings improv group, where he created Pee-wee Herman, the impish character that would come to define his career.
