In Happy Gilmore 2, released on Netflix on July 25, 2025, Adam Sandler included a subtle tribute to his late co-star Cameron Boyce, who died in 2019 at age 20 due to an epileptic seizure. The tribute appears early in the film when Sandler’s character, Happy Gilmore, approaches a golf course check-in booth. In the background, a TV screen briefly shows a scene from the Disney Channel show Jessie, featuring Boyce as his character Luke Ross, a role he played from 2011 to 2015. This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment has moved fans, with many sharing emotional reactions on social media, calling it “heartwarming” and “touching.” One fan posted on X, “Adam put a tiny Cameron Boyce tribute in Happy Gilmore 2. Excuse me while I sob,” while another said, “Adam Sandler honoring Cameron Boyce in Happy Gilmore 2 melts my heart.”
Boyce played Sandler’s onscreen son, Keithie Feder, in Grown Ups (2010) and Grown Ups 2 (2013), forming a close bond with Sandler. This isn’t the first time Sandler has honored Boyce; his 2020 film Hubie Halloween included a tribute in the credits: “In loving memory of CAMERON BOYCE. Gone way too soon and one of the kindest, coolest, funniest, and most talented kids we knew.” Sandler also shared a heartfelt post on X in 2019, describing Boyce as “too young, too sweet, too funny” and praising his talent and kindness. The tribute in Happy Gilmore 2 continues to reflect Sandler’s commitment to keeping Boyce’s memory alive.