A Jay-Z Music Video Helped Convince Adam Sandler To Do 'Uncut Gems'

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A Jay-Z Music Video Got Adam Sandler To Do Uncut Gems

Even prior to its Christmas day release, Uncut Gems has been the talk of the town, garnering acclaim for its script, cinematography, and some solid acting. The star of the film, Adam Sandler, is even generating Oscar buzz for his portrayal of Howard Ratner, a Jewish-American jeweler who consistently messes up his own life due to a gambling addiction.

This role is definitely different for Sandler, who many know from his work as a comedian in more light-hearted films like 50 First Dates and The Wedding Singer. Because of that, it’s not surprising that the film’s directors, Josh and Benny Safdie, admitted it took some work to secure Sandler’s involvement in the movie.

Interestingly enough, Adam getting on board has a lot to do with one of Jay-Z‘s music videos.

In a recent interview with Pitchfork, The Safdie brothers revealed that they had sent Hov’s “Marcy Me” music video to Adam Sandler during the recruitment stage. They directed the visual with the help of Darius Khondji–the Oscar-nominated cinematographer who also worked on Uncut Gems–which gave Sandler an idea of just how capable these creators were. Josh told the publication that the comedian was so moved by the politically charged video that it helped convince him to take the starring role in Uncut Gems.