Based on the scene in the New Jersey town of Morristown Tuesday, the creators of “Happy Gilmore 2” will have no issues casting background roles for the movie. In fact, their biggest problem will be narrowing down the pool of candidates.
Thousands of prospective actors filled the Hyatt Regency in Morristown and the surrounding streets Tuesday afternoon during an open casting call for the upcoming Adam Sandler movie. Videos posted to social media showed the line stretching around the block and through town later in the day, creating a massive traffic backup as the attendees waited for (perhaps) their one shot at fame.
Rough approximations online estimated that more than 12,000 people attended the casting call in person, though nothing was confirmed a day later. Grant Wilfley Casting, Inc. (GWCI), the talent agency coordinating the event, could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
More: Happy Gilmore: Here are 4 things you might not know about the movie
Long waits and traffic in Morristown
The casting call was scheduled from 1 to 8 p.m., but some commenters on the New Jersey subreddit said they arrived as early as 11:30 a.m. One user arrived at noon and had not been seen as of 4:30 p.m.
Happy Gilmore 2 Casting Call line. Wow.
Everyone wants to meet Shooter. I get it. pic.twitter.com/AjcXlJOgUC
— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) August 21, 2024
An alert from the Morristown Police Department shortly after 2 p.m. urged residents and motorists to avoid the area due to gridlock caused by the open audition. Around 5 p.m., GWCI posted on its Facebook and Instagram stories that anyone not yet in line would not be seen by the end of the day.
Filming locations
Netflix officially announced in May that “Happy Gilmore 2” was in development nearly 30 years after the original movie was released. The 1996 film features Sandler as the title character who becomes an unorthodox pro golfer after an unsuccessful hockey career.
GWCI announced the open casting call in an Instagram post earlier this month, with scenes to be filmed in Morris, Bergen, Essex, Somerset and Monmouth counties from September through November. Residents unwilling or unable to wait in line could also submit an online application on the agency’s website.
Travis Kelce cast in ‘Happy Gilmore 2’
Unfortunately for those who came out Tuesday, their odds of being cast in “Happy Gilmore 2” got even smaller with the news that one role is no longer up for grabs.
Sandler, in an interview Tuesday on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, confirmed that NFL star Travis Kelce would be among the celebrities making a cameo appearance in the film. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end won his third Super Bowl last season and has become well-known among pop music fans for his relationship with megastar Taylor Swift.
“We have a nice something for Travis,” Sandler told the show’s audience. “Very nice guy — you guys would love him in real life. What a big, handsome guy, funny and cool as hell.”