Paul Reubens, Actor Behind Pee-wee Herman, Comes Out as Gay in Posthumous Documentary

Paul Reubens, Actor Behind Pee-wee Herman, Comes Out as Gay in Posthumous Documentary

Paul Reubens, the beloved actor known for his iconic Pee-wee Herman character, has publicly shared his sexuality in the new documentary Pee-wee as Himself.

The documentary, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, reveals that Reubens had a secret boyfriend, named Guy, from Echo Park, California. In the film, Reubens opens up about his struggles with his sexuality, admitting that he was secretive due to feelings of self-hatred and self-preservation. "I was conflicted about sexuality. But fame was way more complicated," he said.

Reubens sat down for over 40 hours of interviews with director Matt Wolf, where he discussed his personal life, including his experience portraying the beloved character of Pee-wee Herman.

Although Reubens passed away in July 2023 at the age of 70 after a private battle with cancer, he made his intentions for the documentary clear before his death. "More than anything, the reason I wanted to make a documentary was for people to see who I really am and how painful and dreadful it was to be labeled something I wasn’t,” he shared in his final audio recording, made the day before his death. “To be labeled a pariah; to have people be scared of you, or untrusting.”

Reubens reflected on having “many, many secret relationships” throughout his life, noting that his career always took precedence over his love life. However, his Hollywood career took a major hit in 1991 when he was arrested for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater. Although he pleaded no contest to the charge, the incident had a lasting impact on his reputation.

"I kept who I was a secret for a very long time. That really backfired when I got arrested," Reubens said in the documentary. “People had never seen a photo of me other than Pee-wee Herman. And all of a sudden, I had a Charlie Manson mugshot. I lost control of my anonymity. It was devastating."

Decades after the incident, Reubens continued to feel the effects of that moment. "It’s shocking what horrible, awful stuff people think about me,” he shared. “It’s still a significant footnote.”

Ultimately, Reubens wanted his fans to understand his life in a fuller, more honest light. "I was out of the closet, and then I went back in the closet,” he explained. “I wasn’t pursuing the Paul Reubens career, I was pursuing the Pee-wee Herman career.”

Pee-wee as Himself is set to stream on Max later this year.

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