Adam Sandler came up with the character of The Zohan 10 years ago. It took that long to get the movie made, but the story of an Israeli secret agent who becomes a hair stylist was a passion project.
Adam Sandler is The Zohan
"When I was a kid you always heard about the Israeli army," said Sandler. "You always heard about this tiny little country and how everyone around them wants them gone. Every time somebody comes after them they take care of business and so as a Jewish kid you were proud of that. You were like, 'All right, they are trying to take out the Jews and the Jews ain’t gonna let it happen.' So I just admired them."
The idea developed further when Sandler got some firsthand experience with Israel. "Then I hung out with a lot of Israeli guys out here in California. I went to some Israeli weddings and I couldn’t believe how insane it got. I had an Israeli guy who used to cut my hair, a great guy. I just thought it would be funny to see a soldier, Israeli soldier who was a bad ass warrior and fearless and he had a secret dream of wanting to do something else but was embarrassed to share it with anybody."
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Perhaps You Don't Mess with the Zohan was inspired most by classic action movies where mild mannered everymen become unstoppable vigilantes. "To me my favorite stuff when we would talk about the movie was it felt like I always pictured it like Charles Bronson in Death Wish. You’re messing with the wrong guy. I was always thought it was funny that he is a hair stylist and that someone would come in and make light of what he does and think there is no possible way he could kick his ass as much as he could. That’s where it started."
The film has plenty of action, including an extended sequence in Tel Aviv. "I was most excited to shoot those scenes. We just wanted it to look alive, fun, sunny. Whenever it gets dangerous, there were about 15 other Zohans on set. We'd just go, 'Pick that guy. Use you. Come here for a minute.' Next thing you know, he'd be jumping off a building and then I would just land and go, 'De Zohan.'"
You Don't Mess with the Zohan opens to theatres on June 6th.
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