Julie Bowen didn’t expect to reprise her role in Happy Gilmore 2 — in fact, she still can’t believe she managed to be cast in the first film.
Bowen, 55, revealed that she thought she would be replaced by a younger actress in Netflix’s sequel during her Tuesday, July 1, appearance on Michael Rosenbaum’s “Inside of You” podcast.
“I didn’t think they’d bring me back at all,” she said. “I mean, who am I supposed to be? He’s got to have a younger woman in this one, ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’”
In 1996’s Happy Gilmore, Bowen played Virginia Venit, a pro golf tour public relations director who falls in love with Adam Sandler’s titular character. Both Bowen and Sandler, 58, will return for the sequel, as well as original cast members Ben Stiller and Christopher McDonald.
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The follow-up also features several new stars and special guests, including Travis Kelce, Benny Safdie, Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Eric André, Eminem and Sandler’s 16-year-old daughter, Sunny.
Bowen said that she wasn’t sure she would get cast in the original film, either. She thought they would choose a “hot girl” instead.
“I read, and they were relieved,” she continued. “They were visibly relieved. I go, ‘What’s going on?’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, some of these girls are just so aggressively sexy.’ And I was like, ‘That’s a bad thing?’”
Bowen also shared that even though she has less screen time in Happy Gilmore 2, Sandler has sweetly reminded her that she still plays an important role.
“Adam’s like, ‘Stop saying that. You’re the heart of the movie,’” she said.
Bowen previously opened up about her doubts about being cast in the sequel in a June interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I thought, ‘Well I won’t be in it.’ And that was OK — it was like, ‘Virginia Venit, it’s been 30 years, he’s got a hottie. He’s got some little bitty on the side, like a cart girl,’” she said.
Bowen even said that her eldest son, Oliver, 18, whom she shares with ex Scott Phillips, told her about a rumor that Sydney Sweeney was cast as Sandler’s love interest.
“My children told me, before I was even told officially that there was a Happy Gilmore sequel, my now 18-year-old said, ‘Mom, I hear they’re doing a sequel and he’s with Sydney Sweeney as a cart girl,’” she shared.
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Bowen continued, “I went, ‘I’m hurt, and I so respect that move.’ Of course, why wouldn’t you? So when I got the call that I was actually in it, I was like, ‘Are you sure? Come on.’”
Bowen also told the outlet that she was particularly excited to meet Bad Bunny, 31, but their interaction didn’t go as well as she’d hoped.
“Seeing Bad Bunny on set, I was just like, ‘Oh, I can’t actually look you in the eye, I’m going to have to walk away,’ and I did. I think he was offended, and I had to circle back, and now I made it worse,” she said. “I’m the kind of person who doesn’t want to meet her heroes because I think I’m just going to be a jackass.”
Happy Gilmore 2 premieres on Netflix on Friday, July 25.
