Ben Stiller Said People "Always" Mistake Him For Adam Sandler, And I'm Shocked To Say The Least

Mychal Thompson
·3-min read

Serious question: Have you ever mixed up Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler?

Man in a suit posing on a red carpet event
Man in a suit posing on a red carpet event
Person in a casual shirt with small patterns, smiling at an event backdrop
Person in a casual shirt with small patterns, smiling at an event backdrop

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Ben and Adam are comedy movie legends who've blessed our screens with some of the most iconic characters.

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For example, Larry Daley in Night at the Museum and Gaylord "Greg" Focker in the Meet the Parents movies? Timeless.

Person in security uniform holding flashlight, standing near ancient stone carvings
Person in security uniform holding flashlight, standing near ancient stone carvings
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Person in casual clothing lies on roof, reaching to help a fluffy cat on the edge. House windows visible

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How about the titular knucklehead Billy Madison or Sonny Koufax in Big Daddy? Unforgettable.

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Adult man in casual attire seated among young students in a classroom, looking slightly confused. Shelves with books and plants in background
Three people sit on a couch with food in front of them; two adults converse while a child holds a toy, looking engaged
Three people sit on a couch with food in front of them; two adults converse while a child holds a toy, looking engaged

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But, perhaps for some fans, according to the actors, they're a bit too similar in their hilarious roles. However, I don't see it.

On a Nov. 27 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, while promoting his holiday movie Nutcrackers, Ben revealed that he's actually mistaken for Adam and his role in the 2006 movie Click.

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Adam starred in Click alongside Kate Beckinsale, Henry Winkler, David Hasselhoff, Julie Kavner, and Christopher Walken.

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"We've been buddies for, I don't know, 30 years or something now," Ben said.

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"People always will yell out to me or to him, and he'll text me and he'll say, like, 'I was in Italy and someone said, 'Ben Stiller, I love you!'"

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"Or someone will say, like, 'Oh man, Click changed my life' to me."

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Ben continued, "And then I'll say, 'No, I'm not Adam Sandler. I'm Ben Stiller.' And then they say, 'Who?'"

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Funny enough, Ben and Adam have actually appeared in several movies together, including the 2017 film The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), where they played brothers.

Two men conversing, one in a suit and tie, and the other in a casual jacket holding a drink. They are in a dimly lit room with other people in the background
Two men conversing, one in a suit and tie, and the other in a casual jacket holding a drink. They are in a dimly lit room with other people in the background
Two men in suits walking outside together, engaged in conversation. One wears a tie and a jacket, the other a suit and no tie. Trees and buildings in background
Two men in suits walking outside together, engaged in conversation. One wears a tie and a jacket, the other a suit and no tie. Trees and buildings in background

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They also appeared together in the 2020 comedy Hubie Halloween and the 2009 drama Funny People.

And who doesn't remember them together in the 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore?

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Universal Pictures

Remember Ben as the shady nursing home orderly Hal L., who kept lying about how his grandma was being treated?

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Universal Pictures

The good news is they'll be back together for Happy Gilmore 2. Netflix announced the comedy sequel back in May.

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Although, it's too early to know in what capacity — Hal L. is back!

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If folks were getting them confused back in the day, they're really going to be confused once the new movie comes out. I still don't see it, by the way.

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Do you have a favorite performance by Adam Sandler or Ben Stiller? Tell me about it in the comments. Just make sure you don't get them mixed up.

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