I am waiting in a Claridges’ suite for the cast of Apatow’s latest comedy to arrive when all of a sudden Adam Sandler, grinning from ear to ear, sticks his baseball-hatted head round the door shouting “woo-hoo, hello everyone!” before slamming it shut again. 


Sandler is the star of Funny People, a comedy about comedy – and true to form he introduces himself like the comedian we have come to know. He’s dressed very comfortably, as is co-star Jonah Hill, whereas the hilarious Leslie Mann (director Apatow’s wife) looks Hollywood glam in a little black dress.





Judd Apatow has said this film, in parts, is based on true events… how similar are you to your character George Simmons?

Adam Sandler - My latest theory is, Apatow remembers me best when I was 21 and he was 20.  He still thinks I'm still the horny young man I was then.

And you're not?

I'm not quite as horny. It depends what my wife is wearing.

Judd Apatow - It's all made up and all true.  It's true to my psyche, but not to events.

Adam, like your character, did you have any dark reasons for becoming a comedian?

A S -I don't come from a tortured place.  My family liked to be funny and I enjoyed making my father laugh, but only because it was nice seeing him enjoy himself. I wasn't looking for approval. My mother was very encouraging of my career. My dad was … well, quite encouraging. He'd say: Maybe you should be a funny salesman'.

Was there a lot of improvising and messing about on set?

Jonah Hill - It was a fun set, a loose set, but Judd was very much in control because he was on a mission to make something important to him.

But were there lots of laughs?

A S - Yeah, especially in the sex scene. Cunnilingus - that's what they call it, right? There was nervous laughter when Judd Apatow said, “Please eat out my wife'.”

Funny People, with its intimations of mortality and still the classic comic routines, looks like a fusion of the two strands of your career, the more slap-stick comedies and the more serious, considered works like Punch-Drunk Love….

A S - That's good, that's true, (he nods) Judd told me he had four different stories for four different films, then he put them all in this one script. Certainly, there are elements of comedy in it that I am very comfortable with. And there are other parts where it's hard to be on set, going through things. But it's not a conscious effort to broaden my appeal. I'm happy with the movies I've done.

Since Simmons spends a lot of time watching his old work, it seems reasonable to wonder which of his own movies Sandler would be happiest to revisit.

Definitely Big Daddy, cause Leslie's in that and it's the first one my wife was in too!  Um… otherwise, the ones where I'm skinniest. I'd turn the sound down, tell the kids, ‘See, daddy used to be skinny'.

Maybe this is the film that wins you an Oscar?

A S - It's not something I think about…. (giving that lazy, ordinary-Joe grin again as he gets up to leave) but it would be hilarious …


Indeed it would…. Funny People is out at cinemas now. I recommend you go and see it!