Travis Kelce Mauled (Comically) by Bear Actor Who Didn’t Know Who He Was
Jordan Collins here. Okay, I’ll explain, but try to keep up. The viral bear attack scene in Happy Gilmore 2 featured a stunt performer who did not realize he was sharing the set with NFL superstar Travis Kelce, and yes, Taylor Swift actually complimented the performance.
If you missed the buzz, Happy Gilmore 2 landed on Netflix late July and, predictably, brought big names and bigger cameos: Adam Sandler returned as the foul-mouthed, title-holding golfer, and the sequel serves up surprises from Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, Ben Stiller, Kid Cudi, Eminem, Post Malone, Margaret Qualley and a cameo-strewn roster that includes Bad Bunny. But one clip has endured on social feeds: a honey-slicked, shirtless Travis Kelce getting hilariously mauled by a very enthusiastic movie bear.
The man in the furry suit is Brandon Alan Smith, a stunt actor and performer who told TMZ he had no clue he was wrestling with a major celebrity. In an on-camera chat, Smith admitted he was blissfully ignorant of Kelce’s identity while shooting the gag. Yes, he literally put on a bear costume and attacked “a guy” on set, only later discovering he’d been on screen with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and one of the most photographed dating lives in pop culture.
Adding fuel to the social media fire, Taylor Swift praised the bear’s acting on her New Heights podcast earlier this week, calling the performance “exquisite.” Smith said that compliment scored him some serious dad points with his daughter, and he was gracious about sharing credit, emphasizing the scene was crafted by a team of creatives and stunt coordinators.
There’s more that didn’t make the cut. Smith revealed to TMZ that the initial direction called for a far more suggestive take: instead of the aggressive mauling we see in the final film, an alternate clip had the bear tenderly licking Kelce all over, aided by an embarrassingly large fake tongue attached to the costume. The deleted take would have offered a whole different kind of viral fodder, and Smith’s chuckle about sliding that tongue over Kelce’s body is the kind of behind-the-scenes confession the internet lives for.
Smith also had generous things to say about Kelce, praising his willingness to take direction and his on-set enthusiasm. If you’re keeping score, that’s solid professional praise from an industry vet—backed up by TMZ’s on-set footage and Smith’s own recounting.
The sequence itself features Bad Bunny as an accomplice of sorts, the one who slathers Kelce in honey before the bear’s chaotic arrival. The final film chose the more slapstick, mauling version of the gag, which plays cleanly into Happy Gilmore’s legacy of broad physical comedy. Directors and editors ultimately trimmed it to keep the pace brisk and the laughs loud, but hearing about the alternate “tongue” take is guaranteed to make you squirm and giggle in equal measure.
So yes: the bear didn’t recognize a famous footballer, Taylor gave an unexpected shout-out, and an alternate, far raunchier take exists somewhere in the cutting room. This is exactly the kind of slightly absurd pop-culture moment you needed today. I’m not surprised you needed me to explain it, but you’re welcome.
Watch for more set revelations as Happy Gilmore 2 continues to simmer in streaming charts and social feeds. I’ll keep parsing the crumbs; you keep pretending you weren’t curious.
Well, now you finally understand!
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
