It was a night of nonstop laughter as Adam Sandler accepted the Maltin Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Thursday.

“I am thrilled beyond words to be able to honor him tonight,” Roger Durling, executive director of the film festival said. “He has been on my list since forever and he is finally here.”

A packed Arlington Theatre listened in as long-time Santa Barbara International Film Festival moderator Leonard Maltin, who the award was renamed after, interviewed Sandler on his career. 

Sandler shared his comedy journey began when he was 17 years old doing stand-up shows while trying to determine what life looked like for him after high school. 

His brother helped secure him a spot at a comedy club where teenage Sandler showed up with no material prepared. 

And while the comedy club audience did not laugh at his jokes at the time, Sandler’s recounting of the story left the Santa Barbara crowd cracking up.

Maltin also showed various clips from Sandler’s extensive filmography. Starting with his early career at Saturday Night Live performing the “The Chanukah Song,” comedy movies like “The Wedding Singer,” “Happy Gilmore,” “The Waterboy,” and “50 First Dates,” to his most recent films, “Uncut Gems” and “Jay Kelly.”

Maltin confessed to Sandler he undervalued “50 First Dates” when it debuted in 2004. But, he said he recently rewatched it and found he “really liked it.”

“I want to make the funniest movie possible or do the best I can do,” Sandler said. “I am pretty hard on myself and I have a great time but I definitely don’t want to miss any moments.”

But, not all of his films are all laughs.

His most recent film “Jay Kelly,” where he plays alongside George Clooney and Laura Dern, required him to unlock a different set of acting skills.

“I loved my part, there were like four different pages when my character would run and cry like he’s never cried before and stuff like that,” Sandler said. “That is not the easiest thing for me to do.”

Sandler also confirmed a running joke among his fans that he purposefully puts his friends in his films to keep them booked and paid. 

“If I get a phone call from an old friend that says ‘I might not get to stay on SAG insurance unless I do a movie real quick,’ then I will write a quick part for that person,” he said. 

Sandler also shared that the animated “Hotel Transylvania” series are some of his favorite films. He voices Count Dracula with co-stars Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg and Kevin James. 

“I love that world where kids are having a good time with them and both my daughters did voices in that when they were little kids and watching them record in the studio was one of the best things,” he said. 

Sandler’s family often makes appearances in his films like in the “Grown Ups” series and “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.” 

Following the interview, Oscar-award-winning actor Dustin Hoffman presented the award to Sandler, eliciting a thunderous welcome from the audience.

“Making his characters not only entertaining but touching and relatable, Adam has an instinct that can’t be taught,” Hoffman said. 

The award is given to someone “who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry,” the film festival says. 

Sandler joins the long list of previous winners including Angelina Jolie who accepted the award in 2025.

Sandler turned his award acceptance speech into a comedy bit. He began by sincerely thanking his family but then his appreciation took a turn. 

“Thank you to In-N-Out burger for allowing me to order the flying dutchman with a side of buns. Thank you Ben Franklin for discovering electricity,” he listed off. 

“Thank you to my fortune teller that I met in 1982 who told me I would win an Oscar for a movie called ‘Jay Kelly,’ was it possible you didn’t say the full title and meant ‘Jay Kelly 2?’”

He received a standing ovation as he left the stage, award in hand, telling the audience, “see you all at In-N-Out.”

Which he meant literally. Fans and festival volunteers found him at In-N-Out shortly after the event ended.

More Photos from Thursday Night at SBIFF