Sandler Tugs at Heartstrings in 'Mr. Deeds'

June 24, 2002 -- Adam Sandler is the comic who appeals to your inner adolescent.

Moviegoers cheered him on when he was unable to hold a job in Big Daddy, when he was humiliated in sports in The Waterboy, and finally, when he was unlucky in love, in The Wedding Singer.

The Sandler hero, classically, is an eccentric, loveable loser turned unconventional success. Now, Sandler takes on a new kind of role, as the sweeter, softer and constantly hugging, Longfellow Deeds in the new movie, Mr. Deeds.

It is a remake of the Frank Capra classic, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. Gary Cooper was our hero in the original, and Sandler is our hero now. ABCNEWS' Diane Sawyer spoke to him about his new movie. The following is the uncorrected, unedited transcript of the interview that aired on Good Morning America.

ABCNEWS' Diane Sawyer: So how did you get so beautiful?

Adam Sandler: I don't know. I just — Oil of Olay.

Sawyer: Oil of Olay, huh?

Sandler: Yeah, I just, I just care a lot about if you touch me, if I feel right. I don't know, I always my whole life I just wanted people, no matter where they touched me on my body, I wanted it to feel smooth to them, so that's probably helped.

Sawyer: Because I remember the last time we talked, you felt that people hadn't really treated seriously enough the hunky shape you were in.

Sandler: Yeah. Yeah.

Sawyer: And I just want to make sure that I'm the first to treat it seriously enough.

Sandler: You know what? You treating me right it's like everyone's — I think you could start the whole craze.

Sawyer: I really think I could, too.

Sandler: Thank you.

(Voice over) In Mr. Deeds, Adam Sandler's character wakes up one day to a $40 billion inheritance from a relative he's never met.

Sawyer: So, "Mr. Deeds," had you seen the movie as a kid? Did you know anything about the story?

Sandler: Yeah, I saw it when I was a kid. I thought Gary Cooper was real cool. Old movie.

Sawyer: And it's heartwarming.

Sandler: Yeah, it's sweet. It's very — it's a very sweet movie, very romantic. The guy that I play is such a nice man and doesn't curse, doesn't, you know, he just stands up for what he believes in.

Sawyer: We have a clip where you're going to the jail, and Steve Buscemi?

Sandler: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Sawyer: is in jail, and you're delivering him another exotic —

Sandler: Yes, sure.

Sawyer: — pizza. [Movie clip played]

Sandler: That's that Buscemi fellow. You can't go wrong. You give Buscemi the ball he's going to, he's going to score.

Sawyer: I'm going to play another clip, MTV Movie Awards, you and Winona Ryder, who's your co-star.

Sandler: Okay. That sounds nice.[MTV Awards clip played, Sandler jokingly asks Ryder if he could touch one of her breasts, then pokes at Ryder's chest with one finger after she laughs and says OK]

Sandler: Yeah, Winona has butterscotch...

Sawyer: She's been through so much recently. Do you know the right thing to say, the right thing to be, to be the friend?

Sandler: I was told that the thing that's making her the most upset is the fact that my finger touched her chest. She can't shake that one.

Sawyer: That's the one that just comes back and haunts her.

Sandler: Yeah, every night, she's like, "Why, dad? Why would that man touch me?" No, I know she's going through a tough time, but she's very nice. You know, we had a great time shooting the movie, and it stinks right now that she can't enjoy the movie coming out ... I'm looking forward to it all being done for her. She's a very nice girl.

On Good Morning America Tuesday, Adam Sandler tells us about his very romantic proposal to his fiancée.