If you still think of Sunny Sandler as that cute kid popping up for a five-second cameo in a Happy Madison flick, you’re about three years behind. Seriously. The "Sandler Family Business" has pivoted, and Sunny is currently the one driving the van.
At 17, she is navigating that weird, high-stakes transition from "famous kid" to "legitimate lead," and honestly? She’s doing it with a lot more grace than most Hollywood nepo babies. You've probably seen her face all over Netflix lately, but the context has changed. She isn't just a background extra anymore.
The Shift to Center Stage
Everything changed with You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. That movie wasn't just a family project; it was a proof of concept. Playing Stacy Friedman, Sunny had to carry the emotional weight of a whole film, and she actually pulled it off. Most critics—who are usually pretty brutal toward Adam Sandler’s output—actually admitted she had real comedic timing.
Now, in 2026, the momentum hasn't slowed down. She just came off the massive success of Happy Gilmore 2, where she played Vienna Gilmore, Happy’s daughter. It was a role that could have been a total throwaway, but she made Vienna a character with her own weird, ballet-obsessed internal life. It worked.
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But here is the thing: the "now" part of Sunny Sandler's career is about to get a lot more serious.
She’s currently headlining a new Netflix project titled Don't Say Good Luck. This isn't a slapstick golf comedy. It’s a drama-comedy directed by Julia Hart—the person behind Stargirl and I'm Your Woman. Sunny plays Sophie Birenbaum, a theater kid dealing with a high school musical while her mother (played by a major A-lister) deals with a cancer relapse. It’s heavy. It’s also the first time we’re seeing Sunny move away from the safety net of her dad’s specific brand of "loud" humor into something more grounded and "indie."
What Sunny is doing right now
- Filming/Post-Production: Wrapping up Don't Say Good Luck, which is being shot around New Jersey and New York.
- Independent Moves: While she still works under the Happy Madison banner, she’s taking roles like the one in Kinda Pregnant with Amy Schumer, showing she can play in other people’s sandboxes too.
- Education: She’s finishing up high school. Her older sister, Sadie, is already at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and the industry buzz is that Sunny might be looking at similar prestige drama programs to sharpen those skills.
The 5'10" Reality Check
It’s hard not to notice that Sunny is literally towering over her parents these days. Standing at about 5 feet 10 inches, she has a physical presence that’s totally different from her dad’s "average guy" aesthetic. This matters because it changes the kind of roles she can get. She’s leaning into a more "editorial" or "fashion-forward" look on the red carpet, which is why you’re seeing her at the Golden Globes and high-end premieres looking less like a teen and more like a rising leading lady.
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Last week, Adam Sandler was at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards. He made a joke about making 50 more movies, but everyone in that room knew the subtext. He’s building a legacy that his daughters can actually run.
Some people get annoyed by the "nepotism" talk. It’s a thing. But if you watch Sunny in Leo (where she voiced Summer) or see her live performances—she’s a huge Taylor Swift fan and has been singing on stage with her dad since she was ten—you realize she actually likes the work. She isn't just being dragged onto a set; she’s a theater kid at heart.
Why she actually matters in 2026
Hollywood is currently obsessed with the next generation of "it" girls. You have the Jenna Ortegas and the Cailee Spaenys, but Sunny Sandler occupies a very specific niche. She is the "relatable" one. She doesn't have that polished, untouchable influencer vibe. She feels like the girl you actually went to school with, which is why her Netflix movies do such insane numbers.
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People want to watch her because she’s funny in a way that feels unforced.
The real test comes later this year. When Don't Say Good Luck drops, we’ll see if she can handle "prestige" acting. If that movie hits, she won't be "Adam Sandler’s daughter" anymore. She’ll just be Sunny.
What to watch next if you're following her:
- Check out the Happy Gilmore 2 BTS: There is a lot of footage showing how much of her own stunts and choreography she handled.
- Watch "Leo" on Netflix: If you want to hear her range, her voice work as the talkative Summer is actually her best comedic performance to date.
- Keep an eye on the Fall festival circuit: There are rumors Don't Say Good Luck might sneak into a late-year festival to build some awards buzz for her.
The takeaway? Sunny isn't just a cameo anymore. She’s a professional actress with a 24-film resume before she’s even old enough to vote. That’s a career, not a hobby.
Next Steps to Track Sunny’s Career:
Set a Google Alert for "Don't Say Good Luck Netflix" to catch the first official trailer, as this film is expected to be her major transition into dramatic acting. Additionally, watch the 2026 Golden Globes red carpet replays to see her shift toward high-fashion branding, which signals the types of non-Happy Madison projects she’ll likely sign onto next.