Professional Wrestling Star Maxwell Jacob Friedman Joins Adam Sandler In ‘Happy Gilmore 2’
EXCLUSIVE: Professional wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman, aka MJF, of AEW fame is the latest to join the cast in Netflix‘s Happy Gilmore 2, starring Adam Sandler.
Details of his role are under wraps, as is the sequel’s plot. Others on board include Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald, who reprise their respective roles as Virginia Venit and Shooter McGavin, the love interest and pro golfer antagonist of Adam Sandler’s title character. Recently, Sandler has also teased that Travis Kelce is on board for a cameo, with production now underway and Bad Bunny has also joined the cast.
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After working with Sandler on Netflix’s Murder Mystery, Kyle Newacheck is directing from a script by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, who are producing alongside Jack Giarraputo and Robert Simonds. The original film’s director, Dennis Dugan, is exec producing alongside Judit Maull, Kevin Grady, David Bausch and Barry Bernardi.
One of Sandler’s most popular films, Happy Gilmore follows his failed hockey player with a powerful slapshot and a volatile temper. When Happy’s grandmother, who raised him, is threatened with eviction from her home due to unpaid taxes, Happy discovers that he has a natural talent for golf, specifically driving the ball incredible distances. With the help of retired golf pro Chubbs Peterson, played by the late Carl Weathers, he decides to join the PGA Tour to win enough money to save his grandmother’s house. However, Happy’s unorthodox and aggressive playing style clashes with the traditional etiquette of golf, making him unpopular with PGA officials and other players like McGavin, a smug and arrogant golfer who sees Happy as a threat to his own career aspirations.
Released by Universal Pictures, the film directed by Dennis Dugan grossed over $82 million worldwide and retains a cult following to this day.
Since making his acting debut with the release of A24’s The Iron Claw (a film on which he also served as Executive Producer) on Christmas Day 2023, MJF has stayed very busy. He recently wrapped production on the independent comedy The Floaters, starring alongside Seth Green and Aya Cash. He also went on to book and shoot Clark Duke’s sophomore feature film Stranglehold playing one-half of big bad duo alongside Ron Perlman, facing off against Jake Lacy, Ashley Benson, and Justin Long.
He is repped by Activist Artists Management and CAA.
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