Adam Sandler found a way to subtly pay tribute to his former onscreen son, Cameron Boyce, in Happy Gilmore 2.
Boyce died in 2019 at age 20 “in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition,” a family spokesperson shared at the time. He was most known for his roles in Descendants, Jessie and Mrs. Fletcher.
Disney fans were quick to spot Boyce’s tribute in the Happy Gilmore sequel, with some taking to social media to share their touching reactions. Towards the beginning of the film, after Sandler’s character is seen approaching a golfing check-in booth, the scene then cuts to two people sitting behind the counter, watching a show on a small television. That’s when viewers get a quick glimpse of Boyce on the screen, in what appears to be an episode from his Disney Channel show Jessie, where he played Luke Ross from 2011 to 2015.
“Adam put a tiny Cameron Boyce (played his son in Grown Ups) tribute in Happy Gilmore 2. Excuse me while I sob,” one user wrote on X, while another one added, “It’s 10am and I’m crying seeing that Adam Sandler put a Cameron Boyce cameo in Happy Gilmore 2.”
The two actors first worked together in 2010’s Grown Ups, where Boyce played Keithie Feder, one of Sandler’s Lenny’s sons. They both reprised their roles in 2013’s Grown Ups 2.
Sandler previously paid tribute to the actor following his death, writing on social media at the time, “Too young. Too sweet. Too funny. Just the nicest, most talented, and most decent kid around. Loved that kid. Cared so much about his family. Cared so much about the world. Thank you, Cameron, for all you gave to us. So much more was on the way. All our hearts are broken. Thinking of your amazing family and sending our deepest condolences.”
He also included a tribute in the credits of his 2020 film Hubie Halloween for Boyce, as the actor was supposed to appear in the movie before he died.
