Who is Julie Bowen? Meet the actress playing Virginia Venit in Happy Gilmore 2

Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore, the champion golf player from the 1996 sports comedy, is returning in Happy Gilmore 2. Happy's lover Virginia Venit, portrayed by actress Julie Bowen, is also returning in the upcoming sequel.

Virginia Venit is Bowen's second credited role in a movie, and earned her significant recognition, due to Happy Gilmore's success. In the movie, Virginia is a PR executive for the Pro Golf Tour who can't help falling for Happy's unconventional charm and passion for the game. She supports Happy in making his breakthrough as a professional golf player.

Almost three decades later, Bowen will be gracing the big screens as Virginia once again in Happy Gilmore 2. Although there are no details available regarding her character arc, the recently released teaser trailer for Happy Gilmore 2 sees her being the same supportive lover of Happy that fans had adored in the original movie.

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Everything we know about Happy Gilmore 2 actress Julie Bowen

Julie Bowen at 2023 Baby2Baby Gala Presented (Image via Getty)

Julie Bowen was born Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer on March 3, 1970, in Baltimore, Maryland. She did most of her schooling in Baltimore but moved to Rhode Island later and majored in Italian Renaissance studies at Brown University. She has been working as a professional actress since she was in college.

Bowen appeared in many such TV shows as Boston Legal, Lost, ER, and Dawson's Creek before she landed the role of Claire Dunphy in the ABC sitcom Modern Family. Her portrayal of Claire throughout the series earned her worldwide recognition. She also won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her performance.

Besides Happy Gilmore and its sequel Happy Gilmore 2, Bowen also worked with Adam Sandler in the 2020 horror comedy, Hubie Halloween. Some of her most recent projects include the 2023 slasher film Totally Killer and the horror-comedy TV series Hysteria!, which was released on Peacock last year. She also executive produced the 2023 Disney film Prom Pact.

Bowen married Scott Phillips, a real estate investor and software developer, in 2004. The couple had three kids together, a boy born in 2007 and twin sons born in 2009. Bowen and Phillips separated in 2018 and their divorce was finalized that same year.

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Julie Bowen on what to expect in Happy Gilmore 2

During an interview with For Women First dated October 27, 2024, Julie Bowen discussed her experience of working with her kids in a commercial, maintaining a sense of humor as a parents and what fans can expect from Happy Gilmore 2.

When asked about the latter, Bowen told the outlet how her children reacted to her returning as Virginia Venit. She said:

"My kids asked me how I was coming back and when I asked what they meant, they were like, 'You’re old.' I said, 'So is everybody else in the movie! Adam [Sandler] is going to play Happy and it’s 25 years later!' But they couldn’t get their brains around it, because Adam is eternally young and cool to them, but they see me as old."

As for what fans might get to witness in the upcoming sequel, she said:

"We do get to do some fun de-aging because there are a lot of flashbacks. I’ve never been digitally de-aged, so I’m super excited. There are also a ton of super secret guest stars."

Some of the guest stars that will be appearing in the movie are football stars like Travis Kelce and Reggie Bush, professional wrestler Becky Lynch, and rapper Eminem. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, will appear as Happy's caddie.

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Happy Gilmore 2 will be available for streaming on Netflix from July 25, 2025.