BREAKING NEWSPaul Reubens Comes Out as Gay in Emotional Posthumous HBO Documentary: 'I Was Out of the Closet and Then I Went Back In'
Paul Reubens hid the fact that he was gay for years.
Late Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens came out as gay in his posthumous HBO documentary.
The two-part special, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival on Thursday, January 23, showcases Reubens' final interviews before his passing in July 2023 at the age of 70.
A new documentary about Paul Reubens debuted at Sundance.
Reubens, known best for his family-friendly character Pee-wee Herman, unraveled the complexities he faced while grappling with his sexual orientation. Despite never publicly addressing his sexuality during his lifetime, Reubens disclosed having a boyfriend named Guy prior to his Hollywood stardom.
As his stage persona gained immense popularity, Reubens concealed his true self, leading to a lifetime of internal conflict.
"[It was] self-hatred or self-preservation," he said in the doc. "I was conflicted about sexuality. But fame was way more complicated."
Paul Reubens hid his personal life from the world.
“I was out of the closet, and then I went back in the closet,” he said in the doc. “I wasn’t pursuing the Paul Reubens career, I was pursuing the Pee-wee Herman career.”
The Pee-wee’s Big Holiday star recalled visiting Guy in the hospital when he was dying of AIDS.
“To talk about seeing someone at death’s door. He probably died a couple hours after that,” Reubens shared.
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Paul Reubens is best known for playing Pee-wee Herman.
Reubens revealed he had "many, many secret relationships" but his career always came before romance. He claimed he "hid behind" his alter ego and never told anyone details about his personal life.
Reubens also admitted he wanted to make the documentary to share the truth about his legacy.
"For people to see who I really am, and how painful and dreadful it was to be labeled something I wasn’t,” he said. “To be labeled a pariah; to have people be scared of you, or untrusting.”
Paul Reubens was previously charged with 'indecent exposure.'
In 1991, Reubens was arrested at an adult movie theater and charged with indecent exposure — to which he pleaded no contest.
"I kept who I was a secret for a very long time," the late actor said at the time. "That really backfired when I got arrested. 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."
Following the backlash, the star's crisis PR team staged a paparazzi photo of Reubens on a date with a woman at a Los Angeles restaurant. He also appeared as Pee-wee at the 1991 MTV Music Awards and made a number of appearances on the late-night circuit.
Reubens also made headlines when his home was raided; he was charged with possessing images that were believed to be child p---ography.
The charges against the actor were eventually dropped in 2004, and he pleaded guilty to a lesser obscenity charge.
The renowned entertainer died of cancer in July 2023 at age 70.
