Nearly 30 years ago, Happy Gilmore swung its way into theaters and, now, the beloved sports comedy is receiving a sequel. The upcoming Happy Gilmore 2 wrapped production in November and is slated within Netflix’s 2025 schedule. The upcoming Adam Sandler-led flick will see the return of several beloved characters from the first film and introduce a handful of new ones, including one played by Travis Kelce. Now, franchise newcomer Kym Whitley is recalling what it was like to be on set, and her thoughts are totally understandable.
Let’s be clear: Kym Whitley is no stranger to the world of comedy. A veteran of the craft in her own right, she’s starred or guest-starred in various sitcoms over the years as well as films. However, Whitley had never worked with Adam Sandler until she was cast in the upcoming sequel as one of Happy’s friends. Whitley spoke to PEOPLE at the 16th Annual African-American Film Critics Awards and, while chatting about the film, she discussed the “pressure” that came with the gig:
You do feel like you’re at home, but you’re with Adam Sandler and greats like that […]. You feel pressure. You feel like you’re at home, but you also know that there’s a level of comedy genius that you’re like, ‘I don’t know, can I compete?’ Not compete, but can I stand next to them and still shine?
As the actress alluded to, Adam Sandler is known for creating comfortable set environments. That’s likely a big reason why so many actors work with Sandler again and again, and many have expressed how sweet the SNL alumni is to collaborate with. In short, there’s a family-type vibe on his sets. Add that to the incredibly comedic talent of some of the actors, and it’s easy to see how one might suffer from a bout of imposter syndrome.
Judging by Kym Whitley’s chemistry with her co-stars in other projects, though, I’d like to think she had nothing to worry about. Sure, sharing the screen with legends like Ben Stiller, who is reprising his role as the nursing home orderly, might be intimidating. However, judging by what’s been said about the movie thus far, the returning cast is happy and eager to welcome newcomers into the fold.
However, it’s clear that Adam Sandler doesn’t stand for any sort of comedic hierarchy on his movie sets. Instead, he fosters a fun and easy-going film experience, which the Act Your Age star confirmed herself:
You got all this great talent around you, but Adam as a director, was like, ‘Hey, let loose.’ He’ll let us improv. We have a good time; the script is funny. So it doesn’t feel like work. It really just feels like fun.
It’s always great to hear that actors are having fun making movies that make us laugh, and I’m hopeful that Happy Gilmore 2 is going to do just that. While not everyone is excited about the news that the film is de-aging the actors, there’s reason to be pumped for the return of Julie Bowen’s Virginia Venit and other fan-favorite characters. There’s also the inclusion of various pro golfers, and even Bad Bunny has a role.
Plot details on Happy Gilmore 2 are still being kept under wraps. Despite that, I remain excited to see what the cast and crew bring to the proceedings. Kym Whitley is a strong addition to the cast as well, and I’m confident that she overcame that “pressure” to deliver a winning performance.