Highlights

  • Adam Sandler is known for his loyalty and often casts the same actors in his movies, keeping his close friends employed.
  • Look out for "Happy Madison," Sandler's production company, to spot many of his Hollywood friends who he often includes in his films.
  • Sandler's friendship and working relationship extends to his SNL castmates and comedic geniuses such as David Spade, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Steve Buscemi and Tim Meadows.

Adam Sandler has acted in, produced, and directed many movies that keep us laughing to this very day. His career first started on the long-running sketch show, Saturday Night Live, which catapulted Adam to great heights. Since then, he has become one of Hollywood's biggest actors and one of the more likable ones, too!

One thing about Adam Sandler is that he is, in fact, very loyal. Fans have wondered why Adam Sandler uses the same cast in his films, and it turns out that if he eats, everyone eats! It's no surprise that Adam tends to keep the same actors in his movies, from Rob Schneider, Kevin James, to Steve Buscemi, there's always a familiar face. Well, turns out Adam Sandler's loyalty goes hard as he always wants to keep his close friends employed.

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When watching an Adam Sandler film, be sure to look out for "Happy Madison," his production company, as it's a sure way to spot many of his Hollywood friends, proving that being close with Sandler during his good stand-up days certainly paid off.

Updated November 2023: Quantifiable information has been added to the list for easier reading.

10 David Spade

Worked Together On Saturday Night Live, The Do-Over, The Wrong Missy

David Spade and Sandler met when they both became cast members of Saturday Night Live in the 1990s and became quick friends.

In some of Adam's films, he plays the lead/co-lead, while in others, he plays a minor character, but it's like he's always bound to show up at some point. A recent film with Sandler was The Wrong Missy, which streams on Netflix.

9 Rob Schneider

Worked Together On Saturday Night Live, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky And More

Rob Schneider in Adam Sandler films
via: Splash by Shutterstock

This iconic duo met at Sandler's first stand-up show, after which they became SNL castmates. Like Spade, Rob Schneider has been in more of his friend's movies than someone could probably count.

Usually, he plays the weird sidekick or friend. Sometimes, he is unrecognizable, like in films I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry or Click, and movie watchers do not realize it is him until the credits roll.

However, Sandler and Schneider had a falling out for a few years that led him to not be in some of his movies for a while. They made up in the end.

8 Kevin James

Worked Together On I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry, Grown-Ups 1 and 2, Hubie Halloween, And More

It is not really known how these two became friends, but they work well together, nonetheless. Most notably, James had the lead role in the Sandler-produced film, Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

Together, they have done I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry, Grown-Ups 1 and 2, Hubie Halloween, and more. He may not have been an SNL alum or in as many films as the others, but Sandler never forgets to include him.

7 Chris Rock

Worked Together On Saturday Night Live, Grown-Ups 1 and 2, The Week Of, Sandy Wexler, And More

Chris Rock in Adam Sandler films
via: Splash by Shutterstock

Chris Rock met Adam Sandler on SNL, and the two became friends pretty quickly. Since SNL, they have both pursued a career in stand-up but also acting.

Rock has not been in as many films as some of Sandler's other friends, but since the two are good friends he does appear quite often.

The roles they started in together were Grown-Ups 1 and 2, The Week Of, Sandy Wexler, and so many more.

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6 Maya Rudolph

Worked Together on Grown-Ups 1 and 2, Zookeeper, 50 First Dates, and Hubie Halloween

Maya Rudolph in Adam Sandler films
via: Splash by Shutterstock

Although Maya Rudolph and Sandler were not on SNL at the same time, they are both still alums and comedic geniuses.

She played Chris Rock's wife in Grown-Ups 1 and 2, voiced a character in Zookeeper with Sandler, had a minor role in 50 First Dates, and starred in Hubie Halloween, which had a star-studded cast and the usual Sandler group.

Whenever Rudolph is on-screen, there are sure to be laughs.

5 Nick Swardson

Worked Together on Benchwarmers, Jack & Jill, Bedtime Stories and Just Go With I, And More

Nick Swardson in Adam Sandler films
via: Splash by Shutterstock

After seeing Nick Swardson's Comedy Central special in 2003, Sandler contacted him to see if he would be interested in collaborating and so a beautiful friendship began.

Swardson has since acted and co-produced with Sandler on many films, playing usually the minor, but funny character. Benchwarmers, Jack & Jill, Bedtime Stories and Just Go With It are just a few movies he has starred in under Sandler.

4 Steve Buscemi

Worked Together On Airheads, Billy Madison, The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, And More

Steve Buscemi and Sandler first met on the set of the 1994 movie, Airheads and haven't stopped working together ever since. To date, Buscemi and Sandler have starred in sixteen movies together, including Billy Madison, The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, and more.

Buscemi has never played a lead role in one of Sandler's films but is happy to star alongside his friend.

3 Jackie Sandler

Jackie Sandler on the red carpet
via Instar

Worked Together On Big Daddy and More

Paying close attention to Sandler's movies, one might see a familiar face in almost all of them: his wife, Jackie Sandler. The first movie she starred in was Big Daddy in 1999, after trying to break out into acting, and the pair started dating shortly after.

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Sandler has made the habit of featuring them in a number of his films.

Since getting married and starting a family, Jackie has not stopped acting in Adam's films. Jackie has also had minor roles in numerous TV shows and movies.

2 Drew Barrymore

Worked Together On Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Blended

Speaking of his wife, Drew Barrymore is almost like Adam's work wife. Now one of Hollywood's best on-screen couples, Drew and Adam first starred in The Wedding Singer together.

That's only because she begged to meet him, though, and they got along so well she was cast as the female lead in the movie.

Although they have only starred in three movies together, the others being 50 First Dates and Blended, their chemistry will definitely bring them together for more.

1 Tim Meadows

Worked Together On Saturday Night Live, Coneheads, Grown-Ups 1 and 2, The Benchwarmers, Jack & Jill, And Hubie Halloween.

Once again, Sandler keeps his SNL friends employed. The two overlapped on the shows and connected. During that time, they starred in their first movie together, Coneheads, which came about from a skit on the show.

Since then, Meadows has played minor roles alongside Sandler in Grown-Ups 1 and 2, The Benchwarmers, Jack & Jill, and Hubie Halloween.