Julie Bowen Thought Sydney Sweeney Took Her Role in Happy Gilmore 2 Before She Was Cast

Published: June 2, 2025

Julie Bowen, the 55-year-old actress, revealed that she initially thought she wouldn't be asked to return for the upcoming Happy Gilmore sequel. Instead, she assumed she'd be replaced by a younger woman playing a new love interest for Happy Gilmore.

Bowen told The Hollywood Reporter at Netflix's Tudum live event on Saturday, May 31, that she thought she'd be replaced by a younger woman, possibly someone like Sydney Sweeney, who was rumored to play a "cart girl" role in the movie.

"I had heard that it was happening and I thought 'Well, I won't be in it.' And I didn't - that was okay. I was like Virginia Venit, it's been 30 years, he's got a hottie," she said. "He's got some little bitty on the side, like a cart girl."

Bowen's character Virginia is introduced in the original Happy Gilmore as a pro golf tour's public relations director; she and Adam Sandler's title character work together to help him succeed as a pro golfer and form a romantic relationship.

Interestingly, Bowen's oldest son even told her that an internet rumor said Sydney Sweeney would play Sandler's love interest in the movie.

"As a matter of fact, 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,'" Bowen added. "And I went, 'I'm hurt and I so respect that move.' Of course. Why wouldn't you?"

Julie Bowen on May 31, 2025.

Bowen's character Virginia joins Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) among original Happy Gilmore characters who will appear in the upcoming Netflix sequel. The movie, which was first announced in May 2024, also features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Stiller, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio (Bad Bunny), John Daly, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Conor Sherry, Ethan Cutkosky, Philip Fine Schneider, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Travis Kelce, Blake Clark, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, and Paige Spiranic.

Although rumors spread on social media in September 2024 that Sweeney, 27, would appear in the movie as a "cart girl," the Anyone But You star does not appear to have a role in Happy Gilmore 2.