If you’ve watched a single Adam Sandler movie in the last decade, you already know the deal. The man loves his family. He hires his friends. It’s basically a high-budget version of "Take Your Kids to Work Day," but with better catering and a global Netflix distribution deal. So, when news broke that the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 cult classic was happening, nobody was shocked to hear about the adam sandler children in happy gilmore 2.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t just a "blink and you’ll miss it" background cameo like they’ve done in the past.
In Happy Gilmore 2, released in July 2025, Sunny and Sadie Sandler aren’t just hanging out in the background eating Hibachi. They are actually baked into the narrative. Honestly, the entire plot of the movie kicks off because of Sunny’s character. It’s a huge shift from the days when they just played "Girl on Bike" or "Tardio’s Daughter."
Sunny Sandler is the Emotional Engine of the Sequel
Sunny Sandler plays Vienna Gilmore, Happy’s youngest child and only daughter.
Remember how the first movie was all about saving Grandma’s house? Well, 30 years later, the stakes are different. Happy is older, he’s working at a supermarket, and he’s basically retired from the spotlight. But Vienna is a talented aspiring ballerina with a dream of attending a prestigious dance academy in Paris.
The problem? Money. It always comes back to the cash, doesn't it?
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The tuition for this school is roughly $300,000. Happy, being the guy we know and love, realizes he has to pick up the clubs one last time to fund his daughter’s future. It’s actually kinda sweet. It mirrors the real-life protective dad vibe Adam has, but with more yelling at golf balls. Sunny really carries the "heart" of the film here. She’s not just "the kid"—she’s the reason the movie exists.
Breaking Down the Cast and Family Roles
It truly is a full-blown family reunion on set. Check out how the rest of the Sandlers fit into this chaotic golf universe:
- Sunny Sandler: Plays Vienna Gilmore, the ballet-obsessed daughter.
- Sadie Sandler: Plays Charlotte. Interestingly, she isn't Happy's daughter in the film. She’s a member of an AA-style support group (Healing Alkies for Life, or HAL) run by—you guessed it—Ben Stiller’s Hal L.
- Jackie Sandler: Adam’s wife plays Monica, Vienna’s dance teacher who convinces Happy that the Paris school is the only way to go.
- Judith Sandler: Even Adam’s mom makes the cut! She plays the mother of Drago Larson (the son of the legendary Mr. Larson).
Sadie Sandler’s "Secret" Role as Charlotte
While Sunny is the co-lead in many ways, Sadie’s role is the one that caught people off guard during the 2025 premiere.
Sadie plays Charlotte, a character Happy meets in his support group. For most of the movie, she’s just a quirky, supportive friend to Happy. But there’s a massive twist at the end. It turns out Charlotte is an undercover FBI agent.
She’s actually there investigating the "Maxi Golf" organization.
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There’s this really meta, fourth-wall-breaking moment toward the end where Charlotte tells Happy he reminds her of her father. Considering they are literally father and daughter in real life, it’s a nice little "wink-wink" to the audience. It’s those kinds of moments that make the adam sandler children in happy gilmore 2 appearances feel less like "nepotism" and more like a shared joke with the fans.
The "Four Sons" Confusion
A lot of people were confused because the movie introduces Happy as having four sons—Gordie, Wayne, Bobby, and Terry.
None of these are played by Adam’s actual kids (since, well, he only has daughters). The eldest son, Gordie, is played by professional wrestler MJF (Maxwell Jacob Friedman), which is an absolute casting masterstroke. Watching a pro wrestler play Adam Sandler’s son is the kind of fever dream only this franchise could produce.
The dynamic between the "rowdy sons" and the "ballet daughter" is what keeps the house scenes from getting too sentimental. It’s loud. It’s messy. It feels like a Sandler set.
Why Do People Care So Much?
Look, people love to talk about "nepo babies." It's a huge topic in Hollywood right now. But the Sandler family gets a bit of a pass from the general public. Why? Because they’ve been doing this since the girls were in diapers.
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We’ve watched Sunny and Sadie grow up in these movies. From Grown Ups to Hubie Halloween and finally their breakout in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, they’ve put in the hours. By the time Happy Gilmore 2 rolled around, they weren't just "Adam's kids"; they were experienced comedic actors who knew exactly how to play off their dad’s specific brand of humor.
Director Kyle Newacheck has even gone on record saying the girls are genuinely talented and "natural" on set. It probably helps that their dad is the boss, sure, but you can't fake timing.
Final Thoughts for the Fans
If you're heading into Happy Gilmore 2 expecting a carbon copy of the original, you're in for a surprise. It’s much more of a family drama wrapped in a sports comedy. The focus on the adam sandler children in happy gilmore 2 gives the sequel a layer of maturity that the first one—bless its heart—definitely didn't have.
Next steps for you? If you haven't seen it yet, go watch You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah on Netflix first. It’ll give you a much better appreciation for the chemistry between Adam, Sunny, and Sadie before you see them tackle the golf course together. Keep an eye out for the Ben Stiller scenes too—the interaction between Sadie and Hal L. is arguably some of the funniest stuff in the entire sequel.