Adam Sandler beamed with pride while walking the red carpet alongside his wife, Jackie, at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards.
Sandler, 59, brought Jackie, 51, to the Sunday, January 4, awards show at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California. The comedian attended the ceremony in honor of his latest film, Jay Kelly.
The couple were all smiles as they posed on the red carpet, with Sandler rocking a navy suit while Jackie stunned in a strapless blue dress with a thigh-high slit.
Sandler is up for Best Supporting Actor at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards for his role in Jay Kelly, alongside Sean Penn for One Battle After Another, Paul Mescal for Hamnet, Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein and Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value. Sandler’s nomination is one of three for the film, which also scored nods for Best Original Screenplay and Best Casting and Ensemble.
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The dramedy, written and directed by Noah Baumbach, follows an aging A-list movie star (George Clooney) as he comes to terms with past regrets of giving up time with his family — including his two daughters, played by Riley Keough and Grace Edwards — in pursuit of a successful career. Sandler has been lauded for his performance as Jay’s good-natured manager, Ron, who accompanies his client on a journey through Europe.
After Jay Kelly premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August 2025, Sandler immediately began gaining Oscar buzz. He was asked about his name being in the awards conversation the following month, telling People he was simply happy to be included in the project.
“Well, that’s real cool and real nice of everybody to say, and I’m just happy I got to be in it,” he said at the time. “My man Noah Baumbach wrote it, kind of put it all together, got the performances he wanted out of everybody and I’m proud to be in it.”
An added bonus for Sandler was getting another chance to star alongside one of his kids. (He shares daughters Sadie, 19, and Sunny, 17, with Jackie). Sadie plays his onscreen daughter, Vivienne, in Jay Kelly, who spends much of the movie asking her dad to put his kids ahead of his star client.
“She’s so good in it and I love her,” Sandler gushed of the 19-year-old during a November 2025 appearance on Good Morning America. “Proud of her, she worked hard and never stopped preparing.”
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Sandler’s wife and daughters have appeared in a variety of his projects over the years, from making cameos in the Grown Ups franchise to starring and supporting roles in 2023’s You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, this year’s Happy Gilmore 2 and more.
Earlier this month, Sandler told E! News that while he does give both Sadie and Sunny advice about the industry, they ultimately are on their “own path” in what they want to do — which does not include stand-up comedy like their dad.
“They don’t want to get [into] that. They just want to act,” Sandler confirmed, noting that plan is fine with him. “They’re really funny and nice kids, and whatever the hell they want to do, I want them to be happy.”
