Adam Sandler Will Win Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award

The Gen X superstar made a smooth transition from comedy to drama — and remains a nice guy, to boot

Trey Barrineau,

AARP

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Published November 04, 2025

Adam Sandler has come a long way since Saturday Night Live.

From 1990 to 1995, the beloved Gen X icon gained fame on the late-night show by playing memorably goofy characters such as Opera Man, Cajun Man, Canteen Boy and Lucy Brawn. After leaving SNL, he headed to Hollywood, where he starred in smash-hit comedies including Billy Madison (1995), Happy Gilmore (1996), The Wedding Singer (1998) and Big Daddy (1999).

But little did we know that a serious dramatic performer lurked beneath his funnyman facade.

Sandler, 59, made a major career pivot — and earned critical acclaim — with transformative performances in Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Reign Over Me (2007), The Meyerowitz Stories (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019). Those diverse film roles showcased his surprising emotional depth as an actor, and he won the Movies for Grownups Best Actor Award for Uncut Gems in 2020.

Adam Sandler is AARP’s latest Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award winner.

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for AFI

That versatility is a big reason Sandler will receive the Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award at the Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Beverly Hills, California.

“We couldn’t be prouder to present this year’s Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award to Adam Sandler, a Hollywood legend whose remarkable career has set a new standard for comedic storytelling, captivating audiences across generations,” says Myechia Minter-Jordan, CEO of AARP. “Adam’s enduring success, his ability to reinvent himself, inspire laughter and move us through dramatic performances is a testament to the power of creativity at every age.”

Sandler is fully embracing life in his 50s. In 2022, the kid who grew up on “Mel Brooks movies, MTV and homemade mixtapes” told AARP he loves taking on acting roles that fit his more mature self.

“It feels great. It makes sense. I’m getting older. That doesn’t mean I feel old,” he said. “But I like my age, and it’s fun to play my age. It’s freeing.”

He also said that pushing himself to try new things as he gets older helps fuel his creative passion.

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“I like giving myself over to a new challenge,” he said. “Sometimes I feel like I’m tapped out with new thoughts, and then all of a sudden, something new comes up and I go, ‘OK, how can I make this happen?’ ”

But despite his success, he remains the humble, generous guy from Brooklyn he’s always been.

“Nobody has taken better care of me in the business than you,” said actor Steve Buscemi, 67, honoring Sandler for winning the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2023. “ When I hear you laugh at the funny thing you told me to say, I’m in heaven. Knowing you and your talent and your big heart, the best is yet to come.”

The Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP will be broadcast by PBS on Great Performances Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET (check local listings), on pbs.org/moviesforgrownups and on the PBS app. Tony and Emmy Award winner Alan Cumming returns as host — and he’s looking forward to an entertaining show.

“It’s a really fun evening,” Cumming, 60, told AARP in January. “It’s also fun for me because you go into the audience and sort of terrorize them a little bit.”

The awards honor the best films and filmmakers of 2025, including the best picture for grownups, best actor, best actress, best director, best television series for grownups and more. Proceeds from the Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP benefit AARP Foundation, which works across the country to end poverty among older adults and reduce financial hardship by building economic opportunities.

Sandler joins a prestigious roster of previous Movies for Grownups Career Achievement honorees, including Jamie Lee Curtis, George Clooney, Glenn Close, Helen Mirren, Michael Douglas, Shirley MacLaine, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Robert Redford, Sharon Stone and Robert De Niro.

About Movies for Grownups

AARP’s advocacy work includes fighting ageism in Hollywood and encouraging the entertainment industry to tap into the unique perspectives and talents that actors, writers and producers who are 50 or older bring to their work. AARP’s annual Movies for Grownups Awards, telecast on PBS, celebrates the achievements of the 50-plus community in film and television. This year’s honorees included best actress Oscar winner Demi Moore, 62 (The Substance), and best actor Oscar winner Adrien Brody, 52 (The Brutalist).