How Adam Sandler channels chaos into comedy gold, according to ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ director
MANILA, Philippines — When director Kyle Newachek first watched “Happy Gilmore” at age 12, he could never have imagined that the actor portraying the now-iconic titular role — a failed hockey player turned unlikely golf star — would one day become his creative collaborator.
But more than 30 years later, Newachek finds himself at the helm of “Happy Gilmore 2,” working closely with none other than the lead star himself, Adam Sandler. It’s an experience he described as both surreal and rewarding.
“That movie is in my comedic DNA,” Newachek told The Philippine STAR in a Zoom one-on-one, recalling his early exposure to Sandler’s brand of comedy. “I was 12 years old when I watched that movie and it was well before I knew what I wanted to do with my life,” he shared.
The film would go on to become a cult classic for its irreverent, slapstick, underdog humor, keeping generations of comedy lovers entertained to this day, Newachek included.
“I’ll be on set, like when I made ‘Murder Mystery’ with Adam Sandler, and just out of nowhere, I’ll start quoting his movies, ‘Happy Gilmore’ or his early recordings. And then I look over and go, ‘Oh, right, that’s you, right?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s me,’” he recalled fanboying over Sandler on set.
And so with a comedic style that spoke to him long before he entered the entertainment industry, Newachek said he approached the sequel with nothing but “a lot of love and a lot of respect.”
He believes the “Happy Gilmore” legacy has endured because it set out to do one simple thing: make people laugh.
“I like being a part of comedies where their sole purpose is to make people feel good and laugh and have a good time,” he said.
“And I think ‘Happy Gilmore 1’ was that and ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ is that again.”
Before slipping into the director’s chair for “Happy Gilmore 2,” Newachek had already made a name for himself in the genre, rising to fame as a co-creator and director of the cult-favorite sitcom “Workaholics.”
According to his bio on the web, the series was developed out of Mail Order Comedy, a web-based sketch group he jointly formed with other collaborators. Since then, he’s expanded his directing and producing portfolio across a range of comedy projects, including “Murder Mystery” with Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, and the critically praised mockumentary series “What We Do in the Shadows.”
But what impressed him most about Sandler wasn’t just his on-camera charisma, but also his work ethic behind the scenes.
Asked what it is about the Hollywood star that sets him apart as a comedic actor — an icon, even — Newacheck replied, “Adam Sandler is one of the hardest working people I know. Blows me away.”
He continued, “He is on set full time, he’s writing, he is producing, he’s dealing with all. And then he steps in front of the camera, and he somehow takes all that — everything, all the chaos of what’s going on behind him — channels it into his performance and delivers something magical that transcends, you know, the screen.”
But more than just his work, Newachek said Sandler’s enduring global appeal comes from something deeper — his sense of empathy.
“Even though he’s incredibly successful, he cares about everybody. Everybody in the whole world, not just a certain type of person. He cares about the human race, and I think that shows in his comedy.”
As for how the long-awaited Part 2 finally came together after 30 years, Newachek said the decision to do it now ultimately came from Sandler himself.
“I didn’t have to hear much more than the title (‘Happy Gilmore 2’) to say, oh, I’m ready for that,” he said. “I knew what the project was and I instantly wanted to be a part of it because I care so much about the first one and it just seemed like a perfect challenge for me right now. It seemed like something I wanted to tackle.”
“As a director, I mean it’s a big movie. You get all the bells and whistles and the time and all that. And working with them is always a great time,” he added.
Still, why the sequel took three decades to materialize remains a bit of a mystery, even to him.
“As far as why it took 30 years to make the sequel, I’m not really privy on that,” he admitted.
“I do feel like Adam has just kinda said that the time was right now and I think it just has to do with, you know, golf culture, culture, whatever, you know, everything he’s feeling. Like I said, he’s very aware of what’s going on around him.
“And I think him and his buddy, Tim (Herlihy, Adam’s longest-standing writing partner)... the other writer, they came up with a really good way into this. And it’s a solid screenplay. So as soon as I read the screenplay, I was like, I’m in. Absolutely.”
“Happy Gilmore 2” starts streaming on Netflix come July 25.
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