Bad Bunny has emerged as one of the most popular musical talents of the past several years, selling out shows and amassing a strong fan following. So it probably shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise this past weekend when the Puerto Rican rapper and singer was announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl LX halftime show. As excited as a number of people seemed to be, there were some who seemingly disapproved of the decision. Now, Adam Sandler is weighing in, and he has a love-infused take.
The Sandman is more than familiar with Bad Bunny, whose real name is Bentio Ocasio. Both stars worked together on Happy Gilmore 2, which was one of the biggest titles on the 2025 movie schedule. During the New York City premiere of his latest movie, Jay Kelly, Adam Sandler caught up with ET (as shared on Instagram) and was asked what he thought about Ocasio’s big gig. Not only did Sandler express enthusiasm over the development, but he also laid out why his good buddy is the right choice for the halftime show:
[He’s] pure happiness. He brings love, romance, kindness. All his music makes — [it’s] uplifting or heartbreaking, and he’s gonna be amazing. He’s quite a performer, and I love that man.
In addition to his signature sense of humor, the Billy Madison icon is also known for his sentimentality. Honestly, I’m not surprised at all that Sandler would have such kind words to share about his friend, and he makes some valid points. Bunny does indeed infuse his music with energy and varying emotions, and his tracks could certainly light up Levi’s Stadium come game night.
The “DTMF” performer was revealed to be the Super Bowl LX halftime headliner this past Sunday, at which point an official video was released by Apple Music to announce the news. With this, BB now follows in the footsteps of musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, U2, Beyoncé and Prince who also performed at the game. When it comes to Bunny, he’s now the first Latin male to headline the SB halftime show. On the other side of the equation, there are some who’ve taken issue with Ocasio’s hiring and have called it a political move. Nevertheless, various fans and celebrities took to social media to lend their support to the rapper.
When it comes to the relationship between Bad Bunny and Adam Sandler specifically, I’ve loved hearing the two gush about each other. Before Happy Gilmore 2 hit Netflix earlier this year, Bunny shared positive thoughts on working with Sandler (who he can even impersonate), even referring to him as his “uncle.” Sandler also recalled the sweet story about how he met the Grammy winner at a Lakers game. Quite frankly, this is a surrogate uncle/nephew relationship that I’m completely here for.
Considering that he has an Adam Sandler movie, additional film credits and SNL appearances under his belt, Bad Bunny’s cultural footprint is growing. His upcoming SB performance could surely add further credibility to his status as a bonafide superstar. I’m predicting that he’ll go big for his show and, amid any continued backlash, I’d imagine that Sandler will be rooting him on during the big game.
Super Bowl LX kicks off on Sunday, February, 8, 2026 on NBC, and it’ll also be streamable with a Peacock subscription.