Adam Sandler Reflects on How His Personal 'Support System' Helps Him Succeed

Adam Sandler is opening up about how his role in Jay Kelly helped him appreciate his own personal support system in life.

“The most important line to me in the movie, I say to George [Clooney’s] character, ‘Jay, you’re Jay Kelly, but I’m Jay Kelly too.’ I know the people who work with me feel the same,” Sandler, 59, exclusively told Us Weekly at the film’s AFI Fest premiere in New York City on Thursday, October 23. “It’s like, what I’m going after, they’re helping me go after, and they’re trying to block anything that’s getting in the way of that and give ideas to help me do the best I can do.”

Sandler portrays Ron Sukenick in the film, the longtime friend and manager of Clooney’s title character. Sandler said the uplifting presence his own loved ones have in his life reflects what Ron is for Jay, who is going through an existential crisis after a storied career as an A-list star in Hollywood.

To help find clarity, Jay and Ron embark on an unexpectedly profound journey through Europe together, confronting the choices they’ve made, relationships with loved ones and the legacies they hope to leave behind. Billy Crudup, Isla Fisher, Riley Keough, Greta Gerwig, Laura Dern, Patrick Wilson and Louis Partridge also star.

While speaking to Us on Thursday, Sandler confessed that he “lucked into” being a part of Jay Kelly after director Noah Baumbach wrote Ron with him in mind.

“Noah called me like a year before I got the script. He said he’s had an idea and he’s going to write it and I’m in it,” Sandler recalled. “And then I got to read the script, get affected by it emotionally and say, ‘Thanks for doing all the work and now I got to make sure I don’t let you down.’”

“It’s a good feeling,” he added.

While Jay Kelly may center on an isolated Hollywood star, Sandler has been kept grounded by his loving family, a dynamic that often permeates to his career. His actor’s wife, Jackie, and daughters Sadie, 19, and Sunny, 16, have been part of his projects for decades. After both his daughters appeared in 2020’s Hubie Halloween, Sadie Sunny and Jackie all costarred with Sandler in 2023’s You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah as well as this year’s Happy Gilmore 2.

“It’s always been our thing to work with our friends and family,” Sandler told USA Today in a July interview. “It’s cool to see [my kids] getting better. They work hard and they go to school for it, and they love it. So, yeah, I’m just proud. Couldn’t love them more.”

Later that month, he shared how proud he was that both Sadie and Sunny are working hard at following their dreams.

“Oh, my god, you’re just relieved. Once they do it well, nothing feels better as a parent,” he gushed. “It must be like when you’re the parents of a baseball player and you’re at the game and they get a hit. You just go, ‘Thank God.’ It’s just so much relief.”

While Sandler’s kids seemingly won’t make an appearance in Jay Kelly, the highly-anticipated Grown Ups 3 could be another story. It was reported earlier this year that the film would begin production in 2026 — 12 years after the first movie hit theaters — reuniting Sandler with costars Kevin James, David Spade, Rob Schneider and Chris Rock.

When asked whether rumors of a third installment were true, Sandler played coy, but told Us that he’d be thrilled to return to the franchise — should the cast’s busy schedules permit it.

“I would love it. We’d love it. Everybody’s working on stuff. To be with those guys would be incredible. I had the best time making both those movies,” he said before adding with a laugh, “But we don’t know what the hell is happening quite yet!”

Jay Kelly will release in theaters Friday, November 14, before hitting Netflix Friday, December 5.