Julie Bowen Opens Up About Filming 'Happy Gilmore' And What's Coming In The Sequel

Alaina April 15, 2025

Let’s talk about Julie Bowen. The talented actress is thrilled to step back into the shoes—or should I say skates—of Virginia Venit in the highly anticipated Happy Gilmore 2. But guess what? There’s a little backstory here that she recently shared with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on Today. Turns out, the original movie wasn’t all smooth sailing for Julie. In fact, there was one thing about it that made her downright uncomfortable.

Julie, who’s now 54, joined the hosts of Today With Hoda & Jenna on September 12 to talk about her upcoming projects. She revealed that Happy Gilmore was actually her very first movie. Can you believe that? She went on to say how her career skyrocketed after that sports comedy, but she’s always had fond—and sometimes not-so-fond—memories from the set.

Behind the Scenes: Julie’s Honest Take on Her Hair

Here’s where things get real. Julie admitted that her hair in the original movie was something she just couldn’t get over. “I really was uncomfortable with my hair in it. Really uncomfortable with it,” she confessed. She went on to explain how she’d find herself tearing up in her trailer, telling herself, “No one’s gonna see it, it’s OK.” But deep down, she knew that wasn’t true. “It’s the only movie my dad has watched over and over again!” she told Hoda and Jenna, who were clearly fascinated by her candid stories from the set.

Read also:
Kevin Orsquoleary The Heart Behind Mr Wonderful And His Family Life

Who’s Joining the Cast of Happy Gilmore 2?

Julie also dished on some of the exciting new faces joining the cast of Happy Gilmore 2. Alongside the return of Adam Sandler, who originally shared the screen with her in the 1996 film, we’ll see Travis Kelce and Bad Bunny making their acting debuts in the sequel. It’s a lineup that’s sure to bring fresh energy and some unexpected twists to the story.

What’s Next for Virginia and Happy?

For fans of the original, here’s a little spoiler alert: Julie revealed that her character, Virginia Venit, and Adam’s character, Happy Gilmore, are still together in the sequel. When Jenna, 42, asked about their relationship, Julie confirmed, “Yes, we are very much together.” Jenna couldn’t help but respond, “Oh, you just told us a spoiler alert!” Julie laughed it off, saying, “Is that bad? No. That … You can put that … I think I’m allowed to say that!”

The excitement surrounding Happy Gilmore 2 is already building. On September 9, Netflix posted on X, sharing that the film is officially in production. Fans wasted no time filling the comments section with their excitement, with one person writing, “The moment it drops it’ll become the movie of the year.” Another fan added, “Here’s to hoping the sequel captures the same magic and humor that made the first film a classic!”

Julie Bowen Cried in Her Trailer During Happy Gilmore — Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

There’s a lot of hope that the sequel will live up to the original. As one commenter put it, “It’s fantastic to see the beloved character making a comeback.” The first Happy Gilmore was a commercial success and even won the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight between Bob Barker and Adam Sandler. Fans are eager to see if the sequel can capture that same magic.

A Memorable Moment with Bob Barker

When it comes to memorable moments from Happy Gilmore, Julie fondly recalls working with the late Bob Barker. She shared a story about one particular scene where Barker had to say, “The price is wrong, [bitch].” According to Julie, Barker initially didn’t want to say that line because he was such a gentleman. “But they shot this for hours and hours on this beautiful golf course in Vancouver. And by the end of the day, he’s so into it. He’s like, ‘The price is wrong, [bitch]!’ It was great,” she remembered with a laugh.

A clip of the scene played in the background as Julie spoke about the late Price Is Right host, who passed away on August 26, 2023, at the age of 99. It’s clear that working with Barker was one of her favorite parts of making the movie.