Henry Winkler raved about his old friend Adam Sandler.
For the 80-year-old actor, the comedian is “a man of the world,” as he recently spoke of Sandler in a conversation with People at the 2026 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards.
During the event, Winkler presented Sandler with the Career Achievement Award.
“We’ve been like family since I called him to thank him for making a lyric for me in his ‘Chanukah’ song,” Winkler began. ‘And then he invited me to The Waterboy. And now we have a connection.”
The Barry star continued: “He’s a man of the world. He’s connected to the world. He’s universal. Not just in popularity, but in his vastness. And I’m so happy to be in that organ.”
How did Sandler add to his life? Winkler responded, “First of all, you learn from him. He teaches us how to have generosity of soul. That is his essence.’
Sandler’s candid and light-hearted nature cannot go unmentioned, as the Happy Days alum praised, “You never know what’s going to happen. You never know what the next moment will be with Adam, but it’s always filled with warmth.”
Additionally, on stage while receiving the award, Sandler showed his love for Winkler by saying, “Henry, you know I love you.”
He also recalled the speech Winkler gave at his wedding in 2003.
“It was the best speech. Everyone talks about how great your speech was to me and [my wife] Jackie,” Sandler praised.
