Maxwell Jacob Friedman, widely known as MJF, is a former AEW world champion and a top figure in All Elite Wrestling. Recently, he has gained attention from movie enthusiasts for his role as Gordie Gilmore in "Happy Gilmore 2," which stars Adam Sandler and was released on Netflix on July 25th, following its premiere in New York City on July 21st. During the premiere, MJF spoke briefly with Letterboxd and revealed his four favorite films, highlighting "Happy Gilmore 1" and "Goodfellas" as personal favorites.
Interestingly, MJF was not the only wrestler featured in "Happy Gilmore 2." WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch, along with her tag team partner Flex, Hailey Joel Osment’s character Billy Jenkins, and Nicky Bella’s teammate Flex, also appeared in the film. The movie’s trailer initially aired during "WWE Raw," but WWE requested the removal of MJF’s scenes from this teaser, despite other WWE stars having more screen time. This request coincided with WWE’s dissatisfaction over sharing screen space with AEW wrestlers Kamille and Wardlow in the reboot of "American Gladiators."
When quoting this article, please credit "Letterboxd" and Wrestling Inc. for transcription.
Fan Take: This crossover into mainstream entertainment is a big win for AEW fans, showcasing their stars like MJF beyond the wrestling ring and into popular culture. It highlights AEW’s growing influence and could help attract new viewers, boosting the sport’s visibility and appeal.
