Adam Sandler Wins Independent Spirit Award for Uncut Gems After Oscars Snub
Adam Sandler is coming out on top.
The comedian, 53, picked up the best male lead 2020 Independent Spirit Award for Uncut Gems after being snubbed in the Oscars category. Sandler’s dramatic turn in the hectic Safdie Brothers film brought him critical acclaim. The Murder Mystery star plays a jewelry store owner deep in gambling debt who places all he has left on the sale of a rare gem.
Sandler beat out Robert Pattinson for The Lighthouse, Chris Galust for Give Me Liberty, Kelvin Harrison Jr. for Luce and Matthias Schoenaerts for The Mustang.
Speaking with reporters after the movie’s release, Sandler said the praise for his performance was “nice and sweet,” but he really just wanted to participate in the directors’, brothers Josh and Benny Safdie, unique project.
“I try not to jump into that thought process just because that really wasn’t the goal,” he said at the time of awards possibilities. “My goal was these guys wrote a great movie and they’re incredible filmmakers and I just wanted to do as good of a job as I could for them.”
Shortly after the 2020 Academy Award nominations were announced in early January, the actor responded to being left out of the Best Actor category. Along with his reaction to the snub, Sandler gave a shout-out to his former onscreen mom, Kathy Bates.
“Bad news: Sandman gets no love from the Academy. Good news: Sandman can stop wearing suits. Congrats to all my friends who got nominated, especially Mama,” he wrote on Twitter, referencing his 1998 football comedy The Waterboy.
Bates later hilariously responded, tweeting: “I love you my Bobby Boucher!!! You was robbed!! But Mama loves you!!! I learned a new urban slang word for you! You da GOAT!! Not the one we eat at home, Son. ”
Bates, 71, scored a Best Supporting Actress nomination this year for her role as a real-life mother in Clint Eastwood‘s drama Richard Jewell.