Hollywood star Adam Sandler, who first met Jackie during her minor role in his 1999 film Big Daddy, believes their encounter was “destiny” and insists it would have happened regardless of his fame.
The 59-year-old actor and Jackie tied the knot in 2003 and are parents to daughters Sunny, 19, and Sadie, 16. Sandler feels strongly that their meeting was fate, stating they would still be together even if he had taken a different path working for his father’s electrical business.
While accepting the Chairman Award at the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival, he reflected, “I sometimes think about it, (if) I didn’t click that year and I did go work for my dad, what my life would be right now. First off, I’m thinking I’d probably still be married to my wife, Jackie. That’s destiny. Nothing stops that.”
He humorously added, “But we definitely (would) have a different house. Probably, like, 10 less bathrooms and (fewer) statues of me.”
Sandler’s remarks about his marriage follow a period of reflection where he expressed being “more thankful” than ever for his life and career. He shared his happiness during an interview with People magazine: “I’m just more thankful than I’ve ever been. Happy I got to do this life, happy all the people who’ve been with me during all this stuff, and helped me out, and (it’s) just been a phenomenal time. My whole family’s always been great to me. My wife and I talk about stuff, and what to do, and what to do next, and it’s just been a very cool life.”
The star emphasized that he and Jackie have grown “closer” over the years, stating, “We’re very close. We like to talk, like to laugh, like to have fun, and like to think about things and take care of our kids.”