Adam Sandler and Brendan Fraser got real about their careers while interviewing one another on Variety’s Tuesday edition of “Actors on Actors.”
Fraser was stunned to learn that early on in his career, Sandler threatened to quit a movie for him, and went to bat with the director Michael Lehmann in order to ensure Fraser clinched a role in “Airheads,” according to their Variety interview. Sandler told Fraser he also had to battle Pauly Shore to convince him Fraser was worthy. At the time, Fraser was best known for his role as a caveman in “Encino Man.”
“Michael Lehmann was very against you,” Sandler said to Fraser in the interview.
Sandler went on to tell a seemingly shocked Fraser about how he had to use the little clout he had at the time to secure him the lead role in the 1994 film.
Speaking of the director Sandler said, “He was like, ‘I don’t get it. I don’t see the caveman being in this movie.’ And I just said, ‘He can do other shit, man.'”
Sandler expressed that he took a firm stand on the matter. (RELATED: Jennifer Lawrence’s Woke B*tching Was So False, Variety Had To Delete It)
“I eventually went to his house, like four in the morning, woke him up and he’s like, ‘Who are you?'” Sandler recalled. “I said, ‘Nevermind that. But, just know that Adam Sandler ain’t gonna be in ‘Airheads’ unless old Fraser is in it.’ So he changed his little tune.”
“He flew out to Chicago to meet me!” Fraser said in total disbelief, and said that Lehmann “sang a different tune” when they initially discussed the role.
Sandler revealed Pauly Shore was another obstacle in Fraser’s casting. Shore wanted to put Fraser on ice to keep him freed up in case an “Encino Man” sequel came to fruition.
“He kept saying, ‘Just in case we do ‘Encino 2,’ I don’t want him doing other shit,’” Sandler said. “And I said, ‘Don’t do that to him.’”
“That’s Pauly,” Fraser said.