Vanilla Ice Cast in Adam Sandler's Next Film

By Christine Fenno Posted Apr 2nd 2011 11:34AM

A new Adam Sandler comedy is in the works, and joining the cast is none other than Robert Van Winkle, the one-hit-wonder rapper known to '80s music fans (and every working comedian in America) as Vanilla Ice.

In 'I Hate You, Dad!', the 43-year-old entertainer, who recently took aim at reality TV stardom with home-improvement series 'The Vanilla Ice Project,' is rumored to be taking on the role of Antonio, a gay wedding planner from Long Island. Sandler is set to star as a father-of-the-groom who lives with his son (to be played by SNL's Andy Samberg) and feuds with his son's fiance (Leighton Meester). The Sandman is a co-producer on the project.

Variety will only confirm that Vanilla Ice has signed on to play a longtime buddy of Sandler's character. And here we hoped he'd riff on Sandler's first movie hit, 'The Wedding Singer,' and rock 'Ice, Ice Baby' in a wedding scene!

As strange as the news of Vanilla Ice co-starring on the big screen with Adam Sandler seems to be, the heavily-inked rapper does have a few previous credits in comedies. He played a small supporting role as a record-store employee in 2002's 'The New Guy,' co-starring Zooey Deschanel, Eliza Dushku, and DJ Qualls. And he was featured in a 2005 straight-to-DVD 'Matrix' spoof called 'The Helix...Loaded.'

Still, Vanilla Ice told New York's Daily News last year that he still earns a living from his original career. "I play 100 concerts a year," he said. "I've never left the music industry."

The rapper who eventually turned into a punchline is probably wise to dabble in comedy if he wants to keep his pop-culture relevance afloat. His earnest attempt at a musical-romance, 1991's starring vehicle 'Cool as Ice,' was a 'Rebel Without a Cause' remake that received scathing reviews. Perhaps Sandler, a true child of the '80s, stumbled onto the film (check out this intro clip featuring Naomi Campbell) and simply found it adorable.