Taylor Swift Publicly Denies Bear Cameo in Happy Gilmore 2 While Praising Castmates
Avery Sinclair here. Oh, this should be good. I do not buy the hype, but I will walk you through the facts without the sparkle-filtered nonsense.
Taylor Swift has officially denied that she donned a bear costume to attack boyfriend Travis Kelce in the Netflix movie Happy Gilmore 2, clarifying the internet misconception on the New Heights podcast on Wednesday night. The pop star said she was “honored” that fans speculated she might have been the one in the furry suit, but confirmed the performer credited as “Bear Performer” on IMDb, reportedly stuntman Brandon Alan Smith, is the actual person behind the honey-smeared chaos on screen.
Let us state the obvious: celebrities get blamed for everything these days, especially when there is a viral, ridiculous moment that involves a major pop star and an NFL icon. Swift doubled down on support for the film while debunking the rumor, telling New Heights listeners that she enjoyed Happy Gilmore 2 enough to gush about it publicly and that she admired the “exquisite performance” of the person in the bear suit. She also praised Bad Bunny for his comedic timing in the scene where he slathers honey on Kelce and then leaves him behind for the hungry bear.
The cameo confusion makes sense given the film’s star-studded roll call. Happy Gilmore 2, which premiered on July 25 on Netflix, includes cameos from Kid Cudi, Nick Swardson, Eminem, Post Malone, and Margaret Qualley. Franchise vets Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller point up the returning cast, while Adam Sandler remains the leading face. With that many famous people attached, rumors are not only inevitable, they are basically the film’s free marketing team.
Swift did not merely snark on the claim and move on. She actively praised the movie, telling fans on social media that Happy Gilmore 2 “had me cackling and cheering the whole movie” and rated it a “13/10,” encouraging people to watch it on Netflix. That publicly positive endorsement keeps her tied to the film’s cultural moment without actually putting her in a bear suit and pawing at Kelce on camera. So congratulations to whoever coordinated the stunt and wardrobe departments for making people momentarily believe that pop royalty moonlighted as a costumed assailant.
Why does any of this matter beyond the usual celebrity soap opera? Because it showcases the modern feedback loop: a high-profile couple, a streaming comedy, and a viral scene equals instant rumor. Swift’s denial is useful because it kills a false narrative swiftly and leaves the stunt performer the rightful credit for a showy, memorable bit. The clarification also spares Swift from taking on any bizarre physical-comedy legacy she did not sign up for.
Travis Kelce’s onscreen misfortune at the hands of a honey-covered ambush will almost certainly be one of the film’s more talked-about moments heading into the NFL season, and Swift’s enthusiastic review helps keep attention squarely on both the movie and her boyfriend’s crossover into pop-culture spectacle. Meanwhile, credit where credit is due: if IMDb lists a Bear Performer, that is probably who did the bear business.
So yes, Taylor Swift liked the movie, she hyped it, and she denied being the bear. That is the saga. Conspiracy theorists, start your engines, but maybe check the credits next time.
That is the report. Enjoy your next content-free controversy.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, New Heights podcast, IMDb, Twitter post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
