Happy Gilmore 2 paid tribute to the late Cameron Boyce but viewers might have missed it

Happy Gilmore 2 was released recently on July 25, 2025. Unlike the 1996 original, which came out in theaters, the sequel dropped on Netflix. Adam Sandler reprises his role as the titular golfer. He wrote the film with Tim Herlihy, while Kyle Newacheck is the director.

Its official synopsis, as per Letterboxd, reads:

"Happy Gilmore isn’t done with golf — not by a long shot. Since his retirement after his first Tour Championship win, Gilmore returns to finance his daughter’s ballet classes."

The makers managed to pay a final tribute to late actor Cameron Boyce, which fans might have missed.

Happy Gilmore 2 pays tribute to Grown Ups actor Cameron Boyce

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Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore 2 pays a tribute to the late actor Cameron Boyce. He had featured alongside Sandler in films like the 2010s Grown Ups (2010) and its 2013 sequel Grown Ups 2. He passed away at the age of 20 on July 6, 2019, due to complications from epilepsy.

In the Sandler-led sequel, there is a scene where Happy goes near a check-in booth. In that same frame, there is a television that the attendants are watching, which features one of the episodes of Jessie, which ran on Disney Channel. Boyce had played the role of Luke Ross between 2011 and 2015 in the series. This tribute to Boyce happens for a few seconds, and it's easy for viewers to miss.

Boyce began his career as a child artist in films like Mirrors and Eagle Eye (both came out in 2008. This was followed by Jessie, both Grown Up films, and the Descendants franchise. He had also acted in projects like Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Gamer's Guide to Pretty Much Everything. The 2020 drama thriller Runt and some episodes of the television series Paradise City were released posthumously.

After his demise, the Cameron Boyce Foundation was founded with the help of Network for Good. They provide creative outlets to young people who have artistic inclinations.

More about Happy Gilmore 2

Happy Gilmore 2 is produced by Adam Sandler, Tim Herlihy, Robert Simonds, and Jack Giarraputo. Here's a list of its cast members:

Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore
Julie Bowen as Virginia
Ethan Cutkosky as Wayne
Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin
Maxwell Jacob Friedman as Gordie
Sunny Sandler as Vienna
Benny Safdie as Frank Manatee
Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio as Oscar Mejías
John Daly as himself
Ben Stiller as Hal L.
Jackie Sandler as Monica
Sadie Sandler as Charlotte

Several actors reprised their roles from the original film. Benny Safdie and Bad Bunny are among the two new entries in the film. The first film in the franchise was released in 1996. It was directed by Dennis Dugan and met with mostly mixed critical response. Despite that, the film managed to gross $41.4 million at the box office. Both Sandler as well as Bob Barker won the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight.

Happy Gilmore 2 can be viewed on Netflix.