Julie Bowen On Filming The “Happy Gilmore” Sequel With Adam Sandler: “This One Feels Big”
It’s been almost 30 years since Happy Gilmore hit theaters in 1996, and now, Julie Bowen is back on set with Adam Sandler to bring fans a highly anticipated sequel. Julie, now 54, and starring in the Peacock series Hysteria!, opened up about what it’s like to film the sequel, sharing that this time, the production feels a lot more serious.
“This one feels big,” Julie shared in an interview with PEOPLE. “Really huge. Every day it feels big.”
She hinted that the movie is packed with star-studded cameos, though she’s sworn to secrecy about who’s involved. “Every day I got to work, I’m like, ‘Is that…?’ I’m not allowed to say who’s in it, but I’m just like, ‘What?!’”
What’s clear is that the allure of working with Adam hasn’t changed. According to Julie, the big names lining up to join the project are all showing up because of Adam’s welcoming nature. In her words: “But these people all showed up for Adam because Adam makes everybody feel like they’re welcome, and he’s just so gracious and lovely.”
One thing that remains consistent from the original film is Adam’s crew. Julie mentioned that many of Adam’s longtime friends — either from his childhood or those he’s met along his career — are still part of the production. As she explained, “All of his friends, either from growing up or the ones he’s met along the way, they’re all part of the production or they’re in it. Adam has gotten to be so multi-dimensional. He always was, but he’s gotten only richer, not money, but as a person.”
Even though Julie is excited about returning to her role, she admitted she hasn’t actually watched Happy Gilmore since the premiere in 1996! “I’ve seen chunks of it here and there. The Bob Barker sequence will pop up on some feed for some reason. I’m like, ‘God that was good.’ That one always makes me laugh. And anything with Carl Weathers was hilarious,” she stated.
Fans are already buzzing with excitement after Adam, 58, teased a little bit about the plot back in August during an appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast. According to the actor, the sequel will pick up with an older version of Happy Gilmore, who played golf years ago but is now a bit of a mess. “Some stuff goes on in his life, and he’s different and he’s a bit of a mess. And then we try to get his life cooking again,” he said.
Julie also shared a funny family moment recently, revealing that her teenage sons had only just watched the original Happy Gilmore for the first time. “They had heard I’m in lingerie with two pitchers of beer, which is true, but it’s not like sexy, it’s more funny,” she said during an appearance on Sherri Shepherd on October 17. When asked if her kids loved the movie, the actress laughed, saying, “I have not gotten the review yet!”
