Why Adam Sandler Trading In His Basketball Shorts For Slacks Has People Thinking About His Chances At The 2026 Oscars

It may still be summer, but “awards season” is already here. The Venice Film Festival is just getting underway, and among its various offerings will be many 2025 movie schedule entries that are expected to compete for Oscars. The stars of those projects are arriving in Venice, too, and among them is one Adam Sandler, who looks a bit different than usual.

Sandler’s last appearance at the Oscars was as part of a comedy skit with host Conan O’Brien, where he wore basketball shorts among the tuxedos and evening gowns. To be fair, that’s the way the actor tends to dress a lot of the time, and it was the way he had been dressed when spotted earlier in Venice.

Then, however, things changed. Sandler later transformed, as he was seen in slacks and even a coat. It’s a bit unlike the Saturday Night Live legend, though it's also a bit more like what we’d expect from an actor at a major film festival.

Image credit: Getty Images - (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Image credit: Getty Images- (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)

So why is Adam Sandler going to the extreme of wearing pants? Well, the admittedly somewhat tongue-in-cheek reason suggested on social media by @JillianChili is that it’s all part of his Oscar campaign.

Sandler co-stars with George Clooney in the upcoming drama Jay Kelly, and the assumption is that the Happy Gilmore actor is “playing nice” in order to give himself the best chance at scoring an eventual nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Comments include…

Now, the real reason Sandler changed his outfit so drastically is unknown and potentially something much more mundane. However, fans are humorously suggesting that, after the pic in shorts got out, he got a call from Netflix, who told him that he wasn’t going to win an Oscar dressed like that. As @mi4d0lan put it…

Jay Kelly stars George Clooney as the titular character, a veteran actor who finds himself reflecting on his career. Sandler plays Kelly’s manager, who goes on a similar journey. Early buzz around the movie, and possible awards contention for both actors is strong, and Sandler may very well have that in mind as the promotional tour gets underway. If he has a shot, as @brmarotta noted, why not take it?

Back in 2019, Sandler starred in Uncut Gems, a movie where his performance was roundly praised, and many thought would garner an Oscar nomination. While Sandler won Best Actor awards from numerous critic organizations, he failed to get even a nomination at the Academy Awards. Based on comments Sandler made, he seemed to very much want the recognition, so maybe he really is doing what he can to curry favor, as @Iouisrabinowitz posted:

Critics will have the first say as to whether Adam Sandler has a real shot at an Oscar. Audiences will see Jay Kelly as part of a limited theatrical engagement in November, ahead of gaining access with a Netflix subscription in December.

Whether Adam Sandler has a real Oscar chance remains to be seen. However, I have to say, the slacks look good on him.