Comedy legend Rob Schneider is as busy as ever. In addition to his new comedy, Daddy Daughter Trip, which hits digital on December 5th, the SNL alum can be heard in the new Adam Sandler film Leo on Netflix. There’s also some buzz about a new film hitting Paramount+ in the future. (More on that later.)

The big news is that in Daddy Daughter Trip, Schneider headlines a humorous modern-day adventure in the genre that catapulted his career into stardom back in the late 1980s. The heartwarming family-friendly comedy, which Schneider also directed, finds the star playing Larry Bublé, a down-on-his-luck inventor struggling to keep his family afloat. Things take a curious and comedic turn when Larry promises to give his eight-year-old daughter the best spring break ever.

In addition to its charm, the outing happens to be a bona fide family affair as Schneider’s real-life family members, daughters Miranda Scarlett Schneider, Madeline Schneider, and musician Elle King, as well as his wife Patricia Maya Schneider costar. Shot in Arizona, where Schneider resides, the film hits digital on December 5th. Rob Schneider walked MovieWeb through the production, which he directed alongside Andrés Aguilar. Dive in.

The Funniest Scenes in Daddy Daughter Trip
Daddy Daughter Trip Release Date December 5, 2023 Director Rob Schneider Cast Rob Schneider, Jackie Sandler, John Cleese Runtime 1h 40m Main Genre Comedy

Rob Schneider’s successful career included scene-stealing turns in SNL before heading on to roles in such cult classics as the Deuce Bigalow franchise and The Benchwarmers. The actor has been a comedic staple in many Adam Sandler films, including 50 First Dates, The Waterboy, and Grownups. In addition to Netflix’s Real Rob, he recently starred in Leo, and opposite Kevin James in Home Team.

Daddy Daughter Trip finds second-grader Meara (Miranda Scarlett Schneider) craving an unforgettable spring break. Misadventures ensue when her mother (Jackie Sandler) allows her to take a road trip with her father (Schneider). Two travel bloggers (Mónica Huarte and Miguel Ángel Muñoz) filter into the hilarity. The legendary John Cleese (Monty Python) costars, along with appearances by some of Schneider’s other friends, such as singer Michael Bublé and Camilla Cleese.

Related: Best Adam Sandler Movies of All Time, Ranked

One of the more hilarious bits in the film shows the lengths Schneider’s character will go to earn money before some of his inventions take off. He can cash in at the blood bank, but he’ll have to master the art of disguise to outwit the staff who monitors repeated visits. The scenes find Schneider camping it up as a silver mime, a spacey pilot, and other colorful characters.

“We only had 45 minutes to shoot that scene,” Schneider recalled of the mime scene. “The sun was going down and had to shoot Jackie Sandler first [in the scene], then come around on me, then just nail it, and move on. I really liked how this guy doesn’t have any money, and trying to make as much money as he can. He gives blood and can only give blood once a month, but he gives blood three times in a day to get money. So, he has to dress up in different outfits and pretend to be different people to donate blood.” He added:

By the third time, he’s just drained and exhausted, and like a drunk. I dress up like a pilot to go to a grocery store because [the character] also delivers food to people — that’s how he makes a living — and that was a funny scene to shoot because he just dumps eggs and milk and orange juice everywhere.

On Working with John Cleese
Universal

Aside from his family members, Schneider found working with the hilarious John Cleese downright inspiring. Cleese was only on set for a short time, but it set the tone for the rest of the shoot.

“The crew was so excited to see him there. He’s a big man, you know, he’s like a foot taller than me. I’m 5’5” and he’s almost 6’5.” It was just amazing to just be in a scene with him. He’s been such a hero for me, comedically, over the years, and that was just a treasure. That was a good first start for the movie, and then it was a race to get the movie and see if it’s any good. It’s three miracles — a miracle to get a good script, another miracle to get the money to make it, and another miracle if anybody ever sees it.”

Related: John Cleese’s Best Performances, Ranked

He went on to say he was jazzed the film made it to Prime Video, noting he and wife Patricia Maya Schneider teamed with screenwriter Jamie Lissow [of Real Rob] to see the project through to completion. “By the time we got it together, our daughter was actually old enough to play the part,” he added. “She was very curious about it anyway and she just was a natural. She’s grown so much since the movie.”

Schneider’s Thoughts on Hollywood

Rob Schneider’s career now spans more than 40 years. Of the film business, the actor shared: “Making movies, you realize you’re basically just a high-paid carnival worker. Your stuff is just filmed. Even in the Adam Sandler movies, which are a lot of fun and everything, it’s still that way. Everybody thinks it’s so glamorous, but you’re still sitting in a mobile home, eating out of Styrofoam boxes, and going to the bathroom at a port-a-potty. So, it ain’t that glamorous. It’s fun. We’re well paid, I’m not complaining, but it’s certainly not all it’s cracked up to be.”

When asked what he’d love to see more of in Hollywood these days, Schneider was candid:

“It needs to be less self-conscious and braver. There’s been some really funny movies. Seth Rogen made a couple of really funny movies that stand out. Borat was one of the greatest and funniest things ever made. You just want to hold up to great movies like that. With Daddy Daughter Trip, I wanted to make an Italian movie that was a major laugh, and one that was really touching. I wanted to make a film the entire family could see — with not one bad word in it.”

Up next for the comedy legend: “I’m working on a book for the first time about free speech in America. And I have a movie called Dead Wrong, a thriller, which is coming out. And I’m in the new movie with Adam Sandler and Bill Burr, Leo, which is premiering on Netflix. Then this movie for Paramount+ called Amor es amor, which is in Spanish. For the first time ever, I’ve tried to act in another language, and I directed that. My wife Patricia wrote it.”

In the meantime, Daddy Daughter Trip is available to rent or buy on digital platforms like Vudu and Google Play beginning today, December 5th.