Adam Sandler, known for wearing casual attire — comprising basketball shorts, oversized t-shirts, and hoodies — to events, has ditched his trademark look for a more formal outfit at the Venice Film Festival 2025. The actor and comedian arrived at the festival to represent his latest film, Jay Kelly. Noah Baumbach, with whom Sandler previously worked on The Meyerowitz Stories, helmed the project. It follows the friendship between a famous actor and his manager. The pair travels to Europe, where they reflect on their career choices, legacies, and relationships with close ones.
Adam Sandler wears semi-formal attire for Venice Film Festival
Adam Sandler arrived at Hotel Excelsior on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, to present Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly — where he plays a leading role — at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival. The Happy Gilmore 2 actor sported a casual black polo t-shirt, which was paired with bluish-gray trousers, a black belt, and black shoes. He accessorized with dark brown shades.
One day prior, however, the Grown Ups actor showed up to the film festival rocking his typical casual style. Adam Sandler’s attire included a button-down Hawaiian shirt, peach Nike basketball shorts that had blue, white, and orange stripes at the fringes, white socks, and hot pink and black sneakers. Further, he held a basketball in his hands.
Sandler, frequently spotted wearing casual attire, has become a Gen Z icon. He addressed this phenomenon in an August 2024 interview.
“You know, this is an accidental thing,” the Murder Mystery actor told PEOPLE. “But here I am wearing goofy clothes—and I don’t know, I don’t think about it, but I appreciate you saying that,” he added.
Sandler later talked about his fashion sense on The Jennifer Hudson Show. He stated that his dressing style was of a man “who opened his suitcase and threw something on!”
Earlier this year, he garnered attention at the Oscars 2025 for being the only person wearing casual attire. In a comedic bit, Conan O’Brien — who hosted the awards ceremony — told attendees, “For such a prestigious night, it’s important that everyone is properly dressed.” He later asked Sandler, who caught his attention with his choice of clothing, what he was wearing.
“Nobody even thought about what I was wearing till you brought it up!” Sandler screamed in response to O’Brien’s question. To this, O’Brien told him he was “dressed like a guy playing video poker at 2 a.m.” Adam Sandler responded, “I like the way I look.”
