'Pee-Wee Herman' Star Paul Reubens Comes Out As Gay In Posthumous Documentary

"I was secretive about my sexuality even to my friends," Reubens revealed in the new documentary "Pee-wee as Himself."

The late Paul Reubens made sure he got the final word when it came to his much-debated but never openly acknowledged sexuality.

The beloved actor came out as a gay man in the posthumous documentary “Pee-wee as Himself,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Thursday.

While sitting down with director Matt Wolf for the film, Reubens discussed why he decided to hide his sexuality after becoming famous with his whimsically childlike character, Pee-wee Herman.

“I hid behind an alter ego,” he said in the movie, which was detailed in a story by the New York Post. “I spent my entire adult life hiding I was a huge weed head. 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.”

Reuben’s Pee-wee persona first took off after debuting the character with the Groundlings comedy troupe in 1981. After being unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight, the star chose to put his professional ambitions ahead of his personal life.