Joe Pesci will make his return to television in the upcoming Peacock series, Bupkis.
The three-time Oscar-nominated actor (Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Irishman) will play Pete Davidson’s onscreen grandfather, along with Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie) who will play Davidson’s onscreen mother. In 1999, Pesci announced his retirement from acting, only appearing in three on-screen roles since then, most recently The Irishman. Pesci’s previous television role was the short-lived 1985 ABC detective comedy-drama Half Nelson.
Jai Stefan, Pesci’s long-time producing partner handled the deal with Pesci’s long-time manager Melissa Prophet. The actor is also repped by Marc H. Simon of Fox Rothschild.
Davidson will star, write and executive produce the half-hour series, a fictionalized version of his real life. Bupkis will be a mix of grounded storytelling and an absurdist worldview for which Davidson is well known.
“Pete Davidson is one of the most sought-after comedians today with his smart, one-of-a-kind humor and honest point of view. Bupkis will showcase Pete’s funny, surprising and unfiltered brand of comedy audiences have come to love as we continue to bolster our Peacock comedy slate,” Susan Rovner, chairman, entertainment content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said in a statement.
Dave Sirus and Judah Miller will serve as writers and executive producers along with Lorne Michaels, Andre Singer and Erin David for Broadway Video.