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Adam Sandler’s Daughter Sunny Lauded by Critics in First Major Lead Film Role

Sophie lands the lead in Waitress as her mother’s cancer returns, and the film follows her balancing rehearsals, romance and family uncertainty.

  • On Friday, August 14, 2026, Netflix releases Don't Say Good Luck, starring Sunny Sandler as Sophie Birenbaum, a high school sophomore balancing the lead role in Waitress with her mother's returning cancer diagnosis.
  • Directed by Julia Hart and based on screenwriter Laura Hankin's true story, the PG-13 film eschews conventional cancer drama tropes, instead accumulating small details that reveal a grim family prognosis.
  • Melanie Lynskey portrays Elizabeth, Sophie's mother, who struggles to hide her terminal diagnosis while Max Greenfield plays Ted, the supportive father navigating the family's crisis.
  • The film integrates songs from the Broadway hit Waitress, with Sophie's rendition of 'She Used to Be Mine' serving as emotional catharsis amid her family's upheaval.
  • While critics note the film is imperfect, Sunny Sandler's 'easy charm' and the tender portrayal of adolescent milestones elevate the story, offering audiences a poignant meditation on art's healing power.
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20 Articles

Lean Left

The drama “Don’t Say Good Luck” marks the first leading role for 17-year-old Sunny Sandler. The post 17-year-old Sunny Sandler in her first leading role – “She breaks the clichés” appeared first on in.gr.

·Greece
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Lean Right

The film No wish for good luck will be available from this Friday on the platform

·Vicente López, Argentina
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Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Lean Left

Review: 'Don't Say Good Luck' showcases Sunny Sandler, but Melanie Lynskey makes it shine

In a landscape littered with teenage dysfunction, Netflix's 'Don't Say Good Luck' is a moving argument for aspirational television.

·El Segundo, United States
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The Hollywood Reporter broke the news in Los Angeles, United States on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
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