Adam Sandler Offered Philip Seymour Hoffman Billy Madison Villain Role
Adam Sandler reveals that he offered the role of the villain in Billy Madison to Philip Seymour Hoffman, but Hoffman didn't want it. Written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy and directed by Tamra Davis, Billy Madison came out in 1995 to mixed critical reviews but relative box office success. Today, it remains one of Sandler's best-known films, even offering part of its title to his production company Happy Madison. There have even been talks to make a Billy Madison sequel.
Billy Madison is the story of the spoiled, childish son of a Fortune 500 hotel chain owner. He must redo all grades from first through twelfth to prove to his father that he is not stupid and to prevent the company from being passed to the sneaky vice president Eric Gordon, played by Bradley Whitford. Hilarity ensues with Billy going to class with grade-schoolers, playing dodgeball, wetting his pants in solidarity, discovering the elementary school principal is the Revolting Blob, and winning the heart of third-grade teacher Veronica Vaughn, played by Bridgette Wilson-Sampras. Absurd scenes with a hallucinated penguin, a bus-driving Chris Farley, a drunk Norm MacDonald, and an unexpected musical number all serve to make the movie memorable as well.
Related: Why Adam Sandler's Highest Grossing Movies Aren't True Sandlerverse Films
Doing press for his new Netflix film Hustle, Sandler reveals that his original choice to play the villainous Eric Gordon was the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. He talks with Dana Carvey and David Spade on their podcast Fly on the Wall (transcribed by Comicbook), and explains that the offer was made and turned down. He thought Hoffman's audition was hilarious, but the actor did not want to do it. Read some of Sandler's comments below:
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