Adam Sandler tees off again in ‘Happy Gilmore 2’
Adam Sandler returns in “Happy Gilmore 2” with Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald—and a Travis Kelce cameo you didn’t see coming.
Adam Sandler’s star-studded sequel “Happy Gilmore 2” has been a megahit on Netflix, marking the streaming service’s biggest U.S. opening weekend for a film. It totaled 46.6 million views in its first three days.
The sequel to the original “Happy Gilmore,” an enduring ’90s comedy, has so many blink-and-you-might-miss-them cameos and tributes, this guide can come in handy as you try to keep up during the 1 hour, 54 minute film.
The film features skits from stars including a wig-wearing Eminem and NFL star Travis Kelce, to Sandler’s nod to late actors Cameron Boyce, Dustin Diamond (infamously known as Screech) and Bob Barker, who notoriously knocked out Happy in the original film.
Here’s a guide to some of the most iconic roles. Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi plays Happy’s neighbor and appeared several times throughout the film, much like he has in 15 other of Sandler’s films.
Sunny Sandler
Sunny Sandler, Adam Sandler’s real-life daughter, plays his daughter, Vienna, in the film. She appears early on as she trains as a ballerina, with her hopes set on attending an elite Paris ballet school.
Jackie Sandler
Adam Sandler’s real-life wife, Jackie Sandler, plays the role of dance instructor Monica, who is seen earlier in the film instructing Vienna (Sandler’s daughter in the film and real-life daughter Sunny Sandler).
Ken Jennings
Ken Jennings, the host of “Jeopardy!” appears in a brief cameo in which a clue is read to contestants in which Happy is the correct answer. Hilariously, none of the contestants seem to know Happy’s actual name. (Skippy Goldbaum?)
John Daly
Golf legend John Daly appears in a hilarious role as a retired golfer living in Happy’s garage. Just keep him away from the hand sanitizer.
Kelsey Plum and Andrew Watt
When Happy arrives at a municipal golf course, he is greeted by WNBA star Kelsey Plum, and Grammy-winning record producer Andrew Watt.
Margaret Qualley, Eric André, and Martin Herlihy
Happy is paired up with three amateur golfers at the municipal course. Sally, Steiner and Fitzy are played by actors Margaret Qualley, comedian Eric André, and SNL’s sketch troupe member Martin Herlihy, respectively.
Dan Patrick
Dan Patrick, real-life host of “The Dan Patrick Show,” plays the host of “Sports Hole with Pat Daniels.”
Tim Herlihy, Nelly Korda, and Nancy Lopez
When we see the parole board at Westford State Mental Hospital, where Shooter McGavin is seeking release, Tim Herlihy, Sandler’s “Happy Gilmore” co-writer, plays Dr. Hertz. Nelly Korda, who plays Dr. Young, is currently the #1 ranked golfer on the LPGA Tour, and Dr. Silver is played by Nancy Lopez, a former LPGA Tour superstar. Fun fact: Tim Herlihy is the father of the aforementioned Martin Herlihy)
Sadie Sandler
Sadie Sandler, Sandler’s real-life daughter, plays Charlotte at the Healing Alkies for Life alcohol treatment program.
Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller reprises his role as Hal L., who tormented Happy’s grandmother in the original film. He now leads an addiction support group in which Happy must enroll in.
Alix Earle, Sean Evans, Bobby Lee, Andrew Santino, Cam’ron, and Treasure Wilson
The real-life hosts of “Hot Mess,” “Hot Ones,” “Bad Friends,” and “Talk with Flee” bring on character Frank Manatee to speak. Manatee, played by Benny Safdie, serve the role as the shady businessman who created Maxi Golf in the film.
Paige Spirantac
Model and former PGA pro golfer Paige Spriantac appears as a Dick’s Sporting Goods employee selling Happy new golf clubs.
Blake Clark
A staple in many of Adam Sandler’s films, Clark appears as the old man on the beach who tries to assist Sandler with his golf form. Doesn’t do so great.
Jon Lovett
Jon Lovett hits at the driving range while Happy decimates his balls with his massive swing. It’s a short cameo, but he plays the role dubbed “dapper man.”
Dennis Dugan
Dennis Dugan, the director of the original “Happy Gilmore,” returns in the role as Tour Championship commission Doug Thompson.
Tour Champions Dinner golf pros
The Tour Champions dinner was packed with golfing pros, from Fred Couples, Jack Nicklaus, Corey Pavin, Nick Faldo, and Lee Trevino. Current pros Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, and Collin Morikawa are also in the room.
Travis Kelce
NFL Kansas City Chief Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, apepars as a waiter at the Tour Champions dinner. He makes a big show out of impressing the golfers, while also giving busboy Oscar a hard time.
Bad Bunny
We first see Bad Bunny, aka Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, as a busboy at the Tour Champions dinner. He eventually becomes Happy’s caddie and plays a bigger role than cameo, but stands out with one iconic line: “Do you want breadsticks?”
Tour Championship golfers
Pro golfers Tony Finau, Will Zalatoris, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIIroy, and Brooks Koepka all play alongside Happy in the U.S. Bank Tour Championship.
Kevin Nealon
Kevin Nealon plays Gary Potter, Happy’s onetime course-partner-turned-correspondent.
Rob Schneider
In Happy’s “new” happy place fantasy, Schneider is seen taking over the role of tricycle cowboy and remarks “You can do it!,” a nod to his iconic line from “The Waterboy,” another Sandler film.
Marcello Hernandez
SNL cast member Mercello Hernandez plays Oscar’s quite eccentric cousin Esteban. He gets paid to get hit with golf balls while the pros train.
Post Malone
Rapper Post Malone joins as DJ Omar Gosh alongside the real Verne Lundquist and Jack Beard as announcer for the Maxi Tour championship game.
Maxi League golfers
The team of Maxi League golfers include Harley (actor Oliver Hudson), Screech (actor Fernando Marrero), 8 Ball (played by former NFL star Reggie Bush), Flex (prop wrestler Rebecca Quinn) and Medusa (pro wrestler Nikki Garcia).
Guy Fieri
Food Network icon Guy Fieri serves as the host of the Maxi Golf Tournament.
Eminem
Rapper Eminem appears roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes into the film as he shows off his rear end on the golf course, a nod to his father (the heckler in the first film played by the late Joe Flaherty). Eminem, wearing a terrible wig, gives Happy the iconic “jackass” line, and then proceeds to get thrown into alligator-infested waters by Happy’s sons.
List of ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ tributes
“Happy Gilmore 2” paid tribute to many of the late stars of the original 1996 film, while Sandler didn’t forget to honor other celebrities he either worked with or was close with.
Cameron Boyce tribute
In “Happy Gilmore 2,” Adam Sandler gave a subtle tribute to Cameron Boyce, who died in 2019 at the age of 20. Early in the movie, roughly 14 minutes in, Happy checks in at a golf course, and Boyce can be seen on a television screen staffers (played by Kelsey Plum and Andrew Watt) are watching.
The footage shows Boyce wielding a pair of binoculars, likely from “Jessie,” a Disney Channel series Boyce appeared in between 2011 and 2015. Boyce played the son of Sandler’s character in the “Grown Ups” movies.
Bob Barker tribute
Former “Price is Right” host Bob Barker, who died in August 2023, gave Sandler’s hot-headed character a beating in the original “Happy Gilmore.” In the sequel, Sandler pays tribute to Barker with a new fight, this time between Happy and longtime rival, Shooter McGavin (played by a hilarious Christopher McDonald). The fight ensues in a graveyard, where all the legends from the first film appear to be buried. The cemetary “brawl” pans in on Bob Barker’s tombstone.
Carl Weathers tribute
As Happy Gilmore and Shooter McGavin duke it out in a graveyard after McGavin’s release from a mental institution, Chubbs Peterson’s tombstone is shown. Peterson, who played Happy’s coach in the original, was supposed to appear in dream sequences for the sequel, but his intimely passing at 76 last year meant Sandler had to make changes to the script. Sandler also paid tribute to Weathers’ character through the introduction of Slim Peterson, played by comedian Lavell Crawford. Slim, too, has a wooden hand, but not because of an alligator, but instead, a vending machine accident.
Joe Flaherty tribute
The late Joe Flaherty, who died in 2024, played the heckler in the original Happy Gilmore where he yelled out the iconic insult “Jackass!” The film showed segments from Flaherty’s original scene, his tombstone and had rapper Eminem play his son — who also appears to distract Happy.
Frances Bay tribute
The late Frances Bay, who played Grandma Gilmore, is shown in an end scene as characters appear “in the sky” in memorium — along with Eminem in a bad wig flipping Happy off. Her tombstone is also seen during the Happy/McGavin fight scene. bay died in September 2011 at the age of 92.
Dustin Diamond tribute
While there does not appear to be a working relationship between Adam Sandler and Dustin Diamond, the film introduces a character named Screech, played by Fernando Marrero. Rory McIIroy jokes the character Screech is from “Saved by the Bell,” joking that he served as the comic relief on the show. The camera then pans to the crowd holding photos of Diamond’s Screech character.
Diamond died in February 2021 from stage 4 lung cancer. He was 44.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.