Whether you love or loathe his signature brand of humor, there’s no denying that Adam Sandler is one of the most hard-working and busiest comedians in the entertainment industry. His films have gone on to gross over $2 billion worldwide and his lucrative partnership with Netflix has helped elevate both his star power and bank account, with the funny man creating many memorable flicks on the streaming giant.
In 2024, Sandler was given the prestigious accolade of the People’s Choice Icon at the People’s Choice Award, and he was also named by Forbes as Hollywood’s highest-paid actor in 2023, bringing home a whopping $73 million.
He often collaborates with close friends and fellow actors like Kevin James, Rob Schneider, and David Spade, though fans of the Saturday Night Live legend may have forgotten that Sandler has had a slew of A-list actors appear in his many hilarious projects, from Oscar winners to silver screen staples. Here are 10 famous actors who you forgot were in Adam Sandler movies.
10 Reese Witherspoon
Little Nicky (2000)
It’s hard to imagine Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon popping up in an Adam Sandler farce, let alone playing his mother, yet that was surprisingly the case when she co-starred in 2000’s Little Nicky.
In the hilariously over-the-top fantasy comedy, Sandler portrays the son of Satan (Harvey Keitel) and an angel named Holly (Witherspoon), who takes on the hefty task of bringing his two rebellious brothers back to hell before they destroy the divide between good and evil.
Sandler’s Angelic Mother Witherspoon
Witherspoon shows up in the final act of the flick after Nicky sacrifices himself to save the woman he loves from his devious brother Adrian, causing him to wake up in heaven and discover that his mother is actually an angel.
The actress, who would go on to star in a slew of celebrated hits like Legally Blonde, Sweet Home Alabama, and Walk the Line, reflected on her experience filming Little Nicky in 2021 in a social media post and lightheartedly poked fun at the fact that she played Sandler’s other (despite being 10 years younger).
9 Nicole Kidman
Just Go With It (2011)
Sandler shared the screen with longtime friend and frequent collaborator Jennifer Aniston when the duo starred in the 2011 romantic comedy Just Go with It, a remake of the 1969 film Cactus Flower that tells the entertaining story of successful Los Angeles plastic surgeon Danny Maccabee who concocts a seemingly fool-proof scheme to seduce women by pretending he is in an unhappy marriage.
He turns to his knowing single-mother assistant Katherine Murphy (Aniston) for help winning over a beautiful sixth-grade teacher, with amusing chaos ensuing.
Kidman’s Foray into Comedy
Nicole Kidman appears as Katherine’s frenemy from college Devlin Adams (whom Katherine is pretending to be as a part of Danny’s ruse to woo the teacher) and the two women end up reconnecting and getting over their old baggage and resentment towards one another.
Kidman is known for her more dramatic work on the big screen and seeing her venture into the world of comedy was a treat for audiences, and critics even agreed that the Oscar-winning actress was a major bright spot in the flick.
8 James Caan
That’s My Boy (2012)
One of Adam Sandler’s most notorious box office blunders was 2012’s That’s My Boy, which featured the comedian and Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Andy Samberg as an unlikely father and son duo, with the film following ultimate slacker and alcoholic Donny Berger as he struggles to reconnect with his estranged son, who was shockingly conceived out of an illicit student-teacher relationship when Donny was in middle school. Todd struggles with his feelings towards his father, who wants to capitalize on their long-coming reunion.
Caan’s Rip-Roaring Cameo
In the polarizing farce, The Godfather and Thief star James Caan appears as Father McNally, the priest who was going to officiate the wedding between Todd and his fiancé Jamie before their nuptials were ultimately called off.
McNally amusingly gets into an argument with Todd after he speaks ill of his “deceased” father Donny, prompting the two to get into a full-blown fistfight outside of the church in which McNally hilariously whoops on the younger man until he is knocked out by Donny with a beer bottle. Stream on Netflix
7 Woody Harrelson
Anger Management (2003)
Adam Sandler worked alongside cinema legend Jack Nicholson when they headlined the 2003 buddy comedy Anger Management, which centers on Brooklyn secretary Dave Buznik as he is forced to undergo an anger management program after losing his cool on a plane and being tased by a sky marshal.
Dave is sentenced to complete the course under the guidance of renowned therapist Dr. Buddy Rydell (Nicholson), who employs unconventional methods on his quest to help his patients.
Harrelson’s Cheeky Performance
Acting chameleon Woody Harrelson is no stranger to taking on wild and eclectic characters, and the acclaimed performer stole-the-show when he portrayed a prostitute named Galaxia who propositions Dave during one of Buddy’s unorthodox lessons.
Galaxia is later revealed to also be the alternate identity of a security agent for the Yankee Stadium named Gary, who helps Dave during a crucial moment on his self-growth journey. Harrelson’s signature charisma and magnetism was on full display in the cameo, which delighted fans of the film and actor.
6 Brian Cox
Pixels (2015)
Loosely based on the French animated film of the same name, 2015’s Pixels features Sandler once again sharing the screen with buddy Kevin James and portraying an electronics installer and arcade video game wiz Sam Brenner who must lead a team of arcade champions on a noble quest to protect the planet from alien forces.
When extraterrestrials misinterpret video game feeds as a hostile act by the planet, President Will Cooper is forced to fight to protect humanity from the invaders, doing so with the help of arcade video game masters.
Pixels
- Release Date
- July 16, 2015
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Runtime
- 105
An Unexpected Appearance by Cox
Golden Globe-winner Brian Cox may be best known these days as family patriarch and billionaire Logan Roy in Succession, but the prestigious actor had no problems embracing the zany genre when he played military heavyweight Admiral James Porter in the sci-comedy. The gun-happy, nuke-loving Admiral doesn’t understand the dangerous enemies both he and his country face as he attempts to advise President Cooper on a plan of attack, with less-than-stellar results.
5 Harvey Keitel
The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
Sandler enlisted the talents of an eclectic group of stars to appear in the 2015 Western action comedy The Ridiculous 6, with famous faces like Terry Crews, Rob Schneider, Taylor Lautner and Luke Wilson all joining the flick that centers on six very diverse men who make the stunning discovery that they all share the same notorious bank robber father Frank Stockburn (Nick Nolte).
Sandler plays Tommy “White Knife” Dunson Stockburn, a man who was raised by Native Americans and sets out to reconnect with his long-lost criminal dad.
A Lackluster Critical Response
In the less-than-well received flick, popular “tough” guy acting icon Harvey Keitel appears as the sociopathic “Smiley” Harris, a former member of Frank’s gang who now owns the Golden Nugget who attempts to get revenge against his old partner by killing the robber’s half-brothers, leading to his gruesome demise.
Keitel previously worked with Sandler in Little Nicky, which ultimately ended up faring better than The Ridiculous 6 with critics, as the Western comedy currently has a rare 0% Rotten Tomatoes score despite making it to #1 with audiences in all territories upon its release.
4 Jennifer Coolidge
Click (2006)
One of Sandler’s more thought-provoking and well-received big screen creations was the 2006 blockbuster hit Click, which stars the funny man as architect Michael Newman, a workaholic with a beautiful wife named Donna (Kate Beckinsale) and two children, who stumbles upon a magical remote that allows him to control and alter reality with a simple click of the button.
Michael uses the remote to balance his chaotic work and personal life by fast-forwarding through the more boring moments, but discovers that’s what makes life worth living.
Coolidge Dazzles Moviegoers
Hot off the heels of her side-splitting outing as Stifler’s mom in the American Pie franchise, Jennifer Coolidge was a hoot when she portrayed Donna’s neurotic best friend Janine, whom Michael can’t stand and whose love interest is none other than Baywatch superstar David Hasselhoff.
Coolidge dazzled in her role as the overexcited close pal, with the film going on to earn over $240 million at the box office and receive a B+ CinemaScore from audiences, winning the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Movie Comedy.
3 Ray Liotta
Hubie Halloween (2020)
As a part of Sandler’s lucrative Netflix collaboration deal, the comedian starred in the spirited 2020 horror comedy Hubie Halloween, which focuses on the dim-witted but kind Halloween-obsessed delicatessen employee who must become a hero and save his beloved hometown of Salem, Massachusetts from a menacing kidnapper wreaking havoc on the historical city’s inhabitants. Hubie sets out to investigate his bizarre new neighbor Walter Lambert (Steve Buscemi), who believes he is a 359-year-old werewolf.
Hubie Halloween
- Release Date
- October 7, 2020
- Director
- Steven Brill
- Runtime
- 102
Liotta Embraces His Tough Persona
The late and greatRay Liotta appears as Pete Landolfa, one of Hubie’s many cruel and aggressive tormentors who takes immense pleasure in pranking and targeting the kind-yet-cowardly Hubie. Pete is kidnapped by the mysterious figure terrorizing Salem and it is up to Hubie to rescue not only his mean bully but also many of his other relentless tormentors being targeted.
Though not a critical knockout by any means, Hubie Halloween was better received by audiences and was the top-streamed title on Netflix for its first two weeks of release.
2 Ben Stiller
Happy Gilmore (1996)
Before he was dominating Hollywood with his side-splitting performances in comedy classics like There’s Something About Mary, Meet the Parents, and Zoolander, Ben Stiller was showcasing his willingness to take on roles of all shapes and sizes and did just that when he made an uncredited appearance in 1996’s Happy Gilmore.
The Sandler fan-favorite famously follows the hot-headed titular character as he shifts his focus from becoming an ice hockey player to a pro golfer, doing so to help save his grandma’s home from foreclosure.
Stiller’s Deranged Orderly
Stiller was an absolute riot as the cruel orderly Hal L., who runs the nursing home where Happy’s grandmother is forced to relocate to while he attempts to win the necessary funds to pay off her IRS debt. The residents at the facility are secretly mistreated by the staff and the sadistic Hal, who is belligerent to the tenants and goes on a massive power trip while “caring for” Grandma Gilmore.
Stiller was delightfully unhinged as the orderly in his brief-yet-memorable appearance, and reprised his role for Sandler’s 2020 film Hubie Halloween.
1 Dan Aykroyd
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
In the 2007 buddy comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, Adam Sandler and Kevin James star as the eponymous characters and close friends Chuck Levine and Larry Valentine, veteran New York City firefighters who come up with a plan to pretend to be a gay couple and get married in order to try and obtain healthcare for Larry’s children.
The buddies quickly discover that carrying on with their con will be far more difficult than they anticipated when an investigator wants to look into their alleged love story.
Aykroyd Does His Thing in Lively Cameo
Comedy legend Dan Aykroyd unsurprisingly knocked it out of the park as Captain Phineas J. Tucker, Chuck and Larry’s no-nonsense to and straight-to-the-point boss who minces no words when it comes to his thoughts and feelings on their relationship and is fed up by the media scrutiny their union attracts.
The brilliant Aykroyd shined as the stern Captain, who ultimately commended the friends for their selfless act for one another and delivered a passionate and memorable speech about love at the climax of the endearing flick.
