WASHINGTON —AARP announced today that Adam Sandler will receive this year’s Movies for Grownups^® Career Achievement Award. Sandler, who this fall co-stars in the widely anticipated film Jay Kelly and who previously won the Movies for Grownups Award for Best Actor in 2020 for his riveting performance in Uncut Gems, is one of Hollywood’s most enduring and ever-evolving stars, whose talents resonate across generations. He will be honored at the annual Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP on Saturday, January 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,” said Dr. 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.”

For more than two decades, Movies for Grownups has championed movies for grownups, by grownups, by advocating for the 50-plus audience, fighting industry ageism, and encouraging films and TV shows that resonate with older viewers.

Over the past few years, Sandler has continued to prove that his strengths as a comedy legend are equal to his dramatic acting skills. This past summer, after reprising his beloved role in the long-awaited sequel Happy Gilmore 2, he landed Netflix its biggest opening weekend ever. And this November, he delivers a nuanced, emotional performance alongside George Clooney in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly.

An Independent Spirit Award winner and recipient of the 2023 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Sandler has also earned three Grammy nominations, seven Primetime Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. In addition to receiving the Best Actor prize at Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP, Sandler won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for Uncut Gems (2019), and his performance in Hustle (2022) earned him a Critics Choice Award nomination.  Most recently, Sandler was also nominated for two Emmys (2024) for his Adam Sandler: Love You Variety special and for his songs in SNL50, for which he was recognized for outstanding Music and Lyrics. He also received a Golden Globe nomination for his variety special in 2024.

Few artists have so seamlessly bridged comedy and drama. From Sandler’s breakout on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s to a run of box-office classics including Billy Madison (1995), Happy Gilmore (1996), The Wedding Singer (1998) and Big Daddy (1999), Sandler became a defining comedic voice of his generation — and a lasting voice for all generations. He went on to earn critical acclaim for transformative performances in Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Reign Over Me (2007) and The Meyerowitz Stories (2017), showcasing the emotional depth behind his trademark humor. In addition to Happy Gilmore his films on Netflix have been some of the streamers most successful including Happy Gilmore (2025), Murder Mystery 1&2 (2019, 2023) and Hustle (2022).

As a writer, producer and performer, Sandler has built a creative empire through Happy Madison Productions, entertaining audiences worldwide for more than three decades. His films have generated billions at the box office and continue to resonate across generations.

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.

Alan Cumming, the Tony- and Emmy Award-winning host of The Traitors, will return as host of the annual Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP, which will recognize the best films and filmmakers of 2025, including Best Movie for Grownups, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and more. The show will be broadcast by Great Performances on Sunday, February 22, 2026, 7/6c on PBS, pbs.org/moviesforgrownups and the PBS app.

The annual Movies for Grownups Awards raises funds for AARP Foundation, which works to strengthen financial resilience for and with older adults — in Los Angeles and across the country — by empowering individuals and improving systems.

###

Movies for Grownups® Awards’ with AARP Philanthropic Goals
The annual Movies for Grownups® Awards raises funds for AARP Foundation, AARP’s affiliated charity, which works for and with older adults to increase economic opportunity by creating pathways to work, expanding access to financial support, mobilizing volunteer-driven community service, and advancing legal advocacy so that everyone can age with dignity and purpose.

About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.

About The WNET Group
The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW, THIRTEEN PBS KIDS, WLIW World and Create; NJ PBS, New Jersey’s statewide public television network; Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; newsroom NJ Spotlight News; and FAST channel PBS Nature. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment, and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group’s award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, and Amanpour and Company and trusted local news programs like NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group’s award-winning Kids’ Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for more than 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding, and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us.