Kym Whitley at the 16th Annual African American Film Critics Association in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Feb. 19. Photo:
Amy Sussman/Getty
The ‘Next Friday’ actress is set to appear as Adam Sandler’s friend in the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 comedy classic
Kym Whitley is opening up about what it’s like working on the set of Happy Gilmore 2 — and she revealed that being around so many comedic heavyweights can sometimes feel nerve-wracking.
The actress spoke to PEOPLE exclusively while attending the 16th Annual African-American Film Critics Awards at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Feb. 19. During the conversation, she shared that while working in the world of comedy feels natural to her, there is an undeniable pressure to perform to the fullest on the project.
“You do feel like you’re at home, but you’re with Adam Sandler and greats like that […]. You feel pressure,” Whitley, 63, said before adding, “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?”
However, she also says that Sandler — who is directing the long-awaited sequel — fosters a sense of fun on set.
“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.”
The Next Friday actress also assured fans that the upcoming installment — which is slated for release in 2025 on Netflix — won’t disappoint.
“It is going to be one of the funniest movies of the year. Yes, because Happy Gilmore — the first one was funny. Happy Gilmore 2 takes it up another level, and it is hysterical.”
The original Happy Gilmore, which, in addition to Sandler, starred Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald and Ben Stiller, hit theaters in 1996 and became an instant classic. The film follows Happy Gilmore (Sandler) a former hockey pro who joins a prestigious golf tournament in an effort to win money to save his grandmother’s home — much to the chagrin of his preppy competitors.
Christopher McDonald (L) and Adam Sandler (C) in 1996’s ‘Happy Gilmore’.
Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Whitley is set to appear in the sequel as one of Happy’s friends, alongside Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Benny Safdie and Travis Kelce who will also be joining the cast as new additions, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Bowan, McDonald and Stiller are all set to reprise their roles from the original film, which was penned by Sandler and Tim Herlihy — who also wrote the first movie.
Happy Gilmore 2 is slated to premiere on Netflix in 2025.
