Salma didn’t need anyone to speak for her, but Adam Sandler stood up for her anyway.
When he was preparing Grown Ups, the actor had already chosen Salma Hayek to play Roxanne, his wife in the movie. However, studio executives weren’t convinced and even suggested that they keep looking for someone “less ethnic” for the role.
Sandler refused. According to accounts of the shoot, he replied that he had already offered the role to Salma, that she had accepted, and that he had no intention of replacing her. He reportedly even asked them not to bring up the subject again.
Over the years, a much more irreverent response attributed to the comedian also went viral: “She has two big reasons to be in the movie”, a joke very much in his style that ended up accompanying the story of how he defended his choice.
Salma ended up starring alongside him, returned for the sequel, and that professional relationship eventually turned into a friendship that has survived beyond the set.
In the end, Adam Sandler not only got the actress he wanted for the role: he found a friend he still enjoys working with years later.