Pete Davidson Defends Ariana Grande Amid Body Scrutiny, Calls Commentary ‘F—ed Up’
Pete Davidson says the intense attention paid to celebrities’ personal lives can become difficult to understand — something he has experienced through scrutiny of his dating history and has recently watched happen to former fiancée Ariana Grande.
In a new interview with Variety, the comedian criticized the ongoing discussion about Grande’s appearance, saying he doesn’t understand why so much attention has been directed at her body.
“I don’t like it at all. It’s not cool. She’s a really strong person — I’ve witnessed it — and I don’t understand it,” Davidson, 32, said.
Grande, 33, became the subject of heightened commentary about her frame during the rollout of her Petal album earlier this year, including following the release of music videos and throughout her Eternal Sunshine album tour. The scrutiny intensified after images of Grande circulated widely online in late July, prompting a new wave of speculation and criticism about her appearance.
“She knows how to handle this stuff though. She’s been around. So she’ll be OK, but I think it’s f—ed up.”
His remarks come as Grande takes a previously announced break from public appearances, though the singer has rejected suggestions that negative attention prompted her decision to step away.
During an August performance in Chicago, Grande paused the show to address fans concerned that criticism surrounding her had contributed to the hiatus. At the Aug. 4 concert, she also stressed that the decision had been made well in advance, describing the break as neither “reactive or impulsive” and saying she had planned it “a long time ago.”
“My fans were worried that negativity was ruining things for me. But, I just have to say, that could not be more the f— opposite. Multiple things can be true at the same time. Boundaries need to be set. Human beings can need a break sometimes.”
Grande has also stepped away from the planned London West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George. The production was subsequently canceled after co-star Jonathan Bailey also exited.
Davidson and Grande were briefly engaged in 2018 after a whirlwind romance that drew considerable public attention. Grande also recorded a song titled “Pete Davidson” for her album Sweetener that year before the pair ultimately called off their engagement. Their relationship lasted about five months, and Davidson told Variety that although the former couple is no longer regularly in contact, there is no apparent animosity between them.
“I think Ariana’s fuckin’ cool and immensely talented and an awesome girl,” he said. “We’re not texting or whatever, but we’re cool.”
Davidson also talked about his own experience with celebrity scrutiny, particularly the longstanding focus on his romantic relationships.
The former Saturday Night Live cast member said he believes his dating history has often overshadowed his work, despite a career that includes nearly a decade on the sketch comedy series as well as numerous film and television projects. The Variety writer noted that the subject appeared to have “struck a nerve” with him.
“It’s been over a decade. My work and my relevance is super overlooked, and it’s confusing to me. I’m still only 32, but I have really crazy credits: nearly a decade at SNL; I hosted a year after I left; I worked with [directors Craig] Gillespie and [James] Gunn and [Doug] Liman and [David] Leitch and Judd [Apatow] and Edie [Falco] and [Joe] Pesci.”
His credits outside SNL include 2020’s The King of Staten Island, 2021’s The Suicide Squad and the Peacock series Bupkis, which debuted in 2023. His relationships with celebrities including Grande and Kim Kardashian, however, have also generated years of headlines.
“What the f— do I have to do? And look, I get it — I’ve dated a lot of people. But so has everyone else! Everyone is f—ing everyone in this business! Everyone!” he said.
He acknowledged that his own choices contributed to the interest while arguing that his behavior in his 20s was hardly unusual among young people working in Hollywood.
“And for some reason it’s zeroed in on me, and I can’t feel sorry for myself because I put myself in those situations, but everyone else is doing it. I was in my 20s. Am I not supposed to f— around and do drugs and have fun and be in Hollywood like everybody else? Sorry, everyone!”
Davidson is currently promoting his next film, David Leitch’s heist drama How to Rob a Bank. He gained 15 pounds of muscle for the role, in which he plays a military veteran who turns to robbing banks to provide for his family. The film is scheduled to hit theaters Nov. 13.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
