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HAPPY GILMORE, from left: Julie Bowen, Adam Sandler, 1996. ph: Joseph Lederer / © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Julie Bowen was surprised when Netflix asked her to return for “Happy Gilmore 2.”

During a recent interview on the “Inside of You” podcast, Bowen explained she was certain she’d be replaced as the love interest for Adam Sandler’s titular golfer by a younger actress for the highly anticipated “Happy Gilmore” sequel.

“I didn’t think they’d bring me back at all,” Bowen said. “I mean, who am I supposed to be? He’s got to have a younger woman in this one, ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’”

 

In the 1996 original, Bowen played Virginia Venit, a rep for the professional golf tour Happy joins. She serves as his guide on how to act in the public eye, and eventually, she and Happy fall in love. Bowen is set to reprise the role in the Netflix follow-up alongside original cast members Sandler, Ben Stiller and Christopher McDonald.

Bowen went on to say that she wasn’t confident she’d be in the first film either. She explained that at the time, she thought production would get a “hot girl” to play the part.

“I read and they were relieved,” she added. “They were visibly relieved. I go, ‘What’s going on?’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, some of these girls are just so aggressively sexy.’ And I was like, ‘That’s a bad thing?’”

New cast members joining the “Happy Gilmore” team include Margaret Qualley, Eric André, Sunny Sandler, Benny Safdie, Bad Bunny, Eminem and Travis Kelce.

Although she has yet to see the final cut, Bowen said she has less screentime in “Happy Gilmore 2” than in the original. Even so, she said her co-star, Sandler, keeps encouraging her not to de-emphasize her importance.

 

She said, “Adam’s like, ‘Stop saying that. You’re the heart of the movie.’”

“Happy Gilmore 2” releases on Netflix July 25.