Overview

• During her appearance on the New Heights podcast on Aug. 13, Taylor Swift denied playing the bear in Happy Gilmore 2 and called the bear performance 'exquisite'.
• Stunt actor Brandon Alan Smith confirmed he wore the bear suit without knowing he was acting opposite Travis Kelce or aware of Kelce's relationship with Swift.
• He revealed an alternate take shot with a giant bear tongue tenderly licking Kelce that was cut from the final film.
• IMDb listings and official production credits, backed by Smith's account, have now definitively identified him as the bear performer.
• The case underscores how celebrity endorsements, social-media teasers and industry credits can fuel fan theories before they are debunked.