Pee-wee Herman Star Paul Reubens Comes Out as Gay in Posthumous Documentary: ‘Self Hatred or Self Preservation’

Paul Reubens is sharing his truth from beyond the grave.

In a posthumous documentary, Pee-wee as Himself, which premiered Thursday, Jan. 23 at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, the legendary comedian came out as gay after concealing his sexuality for the entirety of his career, per the New York Post.

Before he became known for playing Pee-wee Herman, Reubens revealed he was in a relationship with a man named Guy from Echo Park, Los Angeles. In fact, some of Guy’s vocal tics inspired some of Pee-wee’s most iconic catchphrases.

One of his famous one-liners, “Mmmm! Chocolatey!” was derived from Guy’s tendency to say, “Mmmm! Buttery!” in a Yoda-like voice.

In 1981, Reubens debuted the child-like character while performing with the Groundlings comedy troupe. Soon after, his career began to take off and the actor made the decision to keep any details surrounding his private life under lock.

“I was out of the closet, and then, I went back in the closet. I wasn’t pursuing the Paul Reubens career; I was pursuing the Pee-wee Herman career,” he explained in the film.

The last time Reubens saw Guy, he was visiting him in the hospital as he was dying of AIDS.

“To talk about seeing someone at death’s door … He probably died a couple hours after that,” he added.

Throughout his life, the Pee-wee’s Playhouse star had “many, many secret relationships,” he revealed. As he excelled in his career, he buried his personal life deeper and deeper. Reubens would go on to become a fixture on Late Night with David Letterman from 1982 to 1985, which led to a sold-out tour and his 1985 film, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.

“I hid behind an alter ego. I spent my entire adult life hiding I was a huge weed head,” he recalled. “I was secretive about my sexuality even to my friends [out of] self-hatred or self-preservation. I was conflicted about sexuality. But fame was way more complicated.”

On July 30, 2023, Reubens died from cancer at age 70 after keeping his diagnosis private for years. At the time, the actor’s rep confirmed his passing in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

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“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,” it began.

“Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit,” the statement continued. “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.”