It is 2026, and if you told someone twenty years ago that Adam Sandler would be a perennial awards season fixture, they probably would have laughed in your face.
Then they would have quoted The Waterboy.
But the vibe has shifted. Hard. After the 83rd Annual Golden Globes wrapped up this past Sunday at the Beverly Hilton, the conversation around the Sandman has moved past the "can he actually act?" phase and into something much more interesting. People aren't just surprised anymore; they’re actually starting to get annoyed when he doesn't win.
Let's be honest, for a long time, the relationship between Adam Sandler and the Golden Globes was basically nonexistent. He was the guy making $100 million comedies that critics loathed but families watched on a loop. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association—the group that used to run the Globes—seemed to view him as a box-office titan who didn't belong in the "serious" room.
Except for that one time in 2003.
The Punch-Drunk Love Pivot
Most people forget that Sandler’s first real brush with "prestige" happened over two decades ago. Paul Thomas Anderson, the guy who made There Will Be Blood, decided to cast the "Happy Gilmore" guy in a surreal, anxiety-ridden romance called Punch-Drunk Love.
It was a shock.
Sandler got a Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy nomination. He didn't win—Richard Gere took it for Chicago—but it proved something vital. Underneath the goofy voices and the basketball shorts was a guy who could channel raw, terrifying vulnerability.
Then, he basically went back to making movies with his friends for fifteen years.
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He didn't care. Or at least, he acted like he didn't. He built a massive empire, signed a historic Netflix deal, and became the most powerful man in comedy. But the "serious" awards? They stayed away.
The Uncut Gems Snub That Changed Everything
Fast forward to 2020. The Safdie Brothers put Sandler in Uncut Gems. He played Howard Ratner, a jeweler with a gambling addiction so intense it made the audience physically nauseous.
Critics went nuts. Everyone expected a Golden Globe nomination.
And then... nothing.
The Globes snubbed him completely. It was one of the most talked-about "disrespects" in recent awards history. Sandler, being Sandler, took it on the chin with his trademark self-deprecating humor. He famously joked that if he didn't get an Oscar for the role, he’d come back and make a movie that was "so bad on purpose just to make you all pay."
He didn't get the Oscar nom either, but he did win the Independent Spirit Award. His speech there remains legendary. He called the Spirit Awards the "best personality" awards and joked that the "feather-haired douchebag motherf***ers" at the Oscars would see their looks fade while his personality would shine forever.
That moment was a turning point. It made him the ultimate underdog.
What Happened at the 2026 Golden Globes?
This year, the energy was different. Adam Sandler was back in the mix for his role in Jay Kelly, the Noah Baumbach film where he plays the manager to George Clooney's fading movie star.
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The nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role felt like a formal apology from the industry. He was up against heavy hitters like Sean Penn and Paul Mescal. Ultimately, Stellan Skarsgård took the trophy for Sentimental Value, but the "snub" narrative didn't stick this time.
Why? Because Sandler has become "uncancelable" by the elite.
Earlier in the month, he received the Chairman’s Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. He also picked up a Career Achievement Award at the Movies for Grownups Awards. In his acceptance speech, he cracked everyone up by listing ten reasons why he’s "f***ing old," including needing Viagra just to think of the speech.
He’s winning the room, even when he isn't winning the statue.
The Netflix Strategy and the "New" Globes
The Golden Globes have changed. They are under new management and are desperately trying to feel more "in touch" with what people actually watch.
Sandler is the king of what people watch.
Between Hustle (which got him a SAG nomination in 2022) and his recent stand-up special Adam Sandler: Love You (which netted a 2025 Globe nom for Best Stand-Up Performance), he has bridged the gap. He is no longer just the "funny guy" or just the "serious guy."
He is a brand that represents a specific kind of American longevity.
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Why It Still Matters
You might wonder why we care about a 59-year-old comedian getting a gold-plated trophy. It’s because Sandler represents a shift in how we value "entertainment" versus "art."
For years, the Golden Globes and the Oscars acted as gatekeepers. They decided what was "worthy." Sandler’s career proves that you can ignore the gatekeepers for thirty years, build your own gate, and eventually, they’ll come knocking on your door.
Honestly, he seems more comfortable at the parties anyway. At the Netflix Globes after-party this week, he was spotted hanging out with his wife, Jackie, looking perfectly content without a trophy in his hand.
He’s already won the game.
What to Watch for Next
If you're following the 2026 awards circuit, don't count the Sandman out for the Oscars. While the Globes are a great predictor, the Actors branch of the Academy loves a "long-overdue" narrative.
- Check the SAG Winners: The Screen Actors Guild awards often align closer to what the actors (Sandler's peers) think. If he wins there, an Oscar nom is a lock.
- Rewatch Punch-Drunk Love: To understand how he got here, you have to see where the "serious" Sandler started. It's streaming on most platforms.
- Look at the Baumbach Connection: Jay Kelly is a Netflix original. Netflix spends more on Oscar campaigning than almost anyone else. They want this win for him.
The era of the "Sandler Snub" is officially over. Whether he ever actually takes home a Golden Globe for acting doesn't really change the fact that he's the most influential person in the building whenever he walks in.
Stay tuned for the Oscar nominations on January 26—that’s the real finish line.