‘You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ Director Defends Adam Sandler Casting His Own Daughters

Sammi Cohen, director of the comedy You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, is not here for critics of Adam Sandler’s decision to cast his own daughters in the movie.

“Sandler has a reputation for making movies with his friends, and that’s something we all want to do,” Cohen told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Tuesday, August 29. “What I say is, he’s still making movies with his friends, but they’re his kids. He is the kind of dad who’s also your best friend.”

Cohen went on to dismiss the debate surrounding nepo babies, noting that Sandler, 56, has long been the type to cast people he knows in his projects. “When it comes to the sort of chatter we’re hearing online, I don’t really think twice about it, because I’m going like, ‘Yeah, he’s doing the same thing he’s always done,’” Cohen explained.

Adam and wife Jackie Sandler’s two daughters — Sadie, 17, and Sunny, 14 — are the young stars of You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, which debuted on Netflix last month. The film is based on Fiona Rosenbloom’s young adult novel of the same name and follows two friends who are planning their bat mitzvahs at the same time. Sunny plays Stacy, one of the girls , while Sadie stars as her sister and Adam plays the girls’ dad. Jackie, 48, also appears as the mother of Stacy’s friend Lydia (Samantha Lorraine).

According to Cohen, Sunny and Sadie were already attached to the project when she came on board to direct. Critics may think they landed their parts solely because of their famous dad, but Cohen wants viewers to know that the teens really put in the work.

“They’ve had roles in other movies, and they’re familiar with being on set, but one thing that just sticks out — they work harder than most adults I know,” she told THR. “They love acting and filmmaking in general. They take such an interest in how the movie is made, and they’re both so talented.”

Sandler, for his part, also wasn’t afraid to give his daughters notes when they needed help nailing their scenes. “I would say he’s a good coach,” Cohen explained. “He knows when to push; he knows when to take a step back. He just understands how to make a good movie, and he’s one of the funniest, kindest human beings.”

In real life, both Sadie and Sunny had super lavish bat mitzvahs. For Sadie’s, Adam pulled some strings to have Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine perform at the party. Sunny, meanwhile, treated her friends to mini concerts by Halsey and Charlie Puth. Famous attendees included Taylor Lautner, Peyton List and Adam’s BFF Jennifer Aniston.

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is now streaming on Netflix.