She’ll never be remembered in history books as one the better actresses of her day, but Sandra Bullock has made her mark as an entertaining entity of the Hollywood convoy over the better part of the last decade. With an impressive and entertaining collection of film roles that will continue to line the walls and video collections of the average moviegoer, Sandra has quickly grown into a genuine movie star that doesn’t take her fame for granted. Born in Washington D.C. in 1964 to a German opera singer, Sandra spent a lot of her childhood in between the States and Europe during her mother’s traveling shows. After graduating from high school where she was voted “Most Likely to Brighten up Your Day,” Sandra enrolled in East Carolina University as a drama major, picking up the tricks of the trade before heading off to New York with the same aspirations as every other young actress. After hiring an agent to help jumpstart her career, Sandra was offered roles in “Bionic Showdown: The Six-Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman” and the NBC adaptation to the film “Working Girl” – both of which didn’t stand the test of time. She finally got her first starring role in 1992’s “Love Potion No. 9” before nabbing a gig as Sly Stone’s annoying, future cop sidekick in “Demolition Man.”
Sandra’s real break came two years later though, when she was offered the female lead in the Keanu Reeves action film, “Speed.” While friends urged her to stay away from the possibly silly “bus film,” Sandra jumped at the chance to star in a big-budget production and was ultimately rewarded when the film’s instant success launched her into stardom. The simple actress continued to work in Hollywood as a leading lady over the following years, making quite a name for herself with a handful of flops and a few, decent comedies, but Sandra faded out of the limelight when a younger crowd of actors began to invade. Knowing full well that the red carpet glamour wouldn’t be around forever, Sandra unleashed her own production company, Fortis Films, and has since become more involved behind-the-scenes. While a brilliant performance as a seasoned homicide detective in “Murder by Numbers” sparked her career in the new millennium, Sandra’s upcoming schedule of films should present the actress with an interesting chance at Hollywood rebirth.
Get the latest on Sandra by following our Sandra Bullock tag.
Sandra Bullock on the Screen
Sandra’s film career hasn’t been amazing, but it’s definitely been entertaining to say the least, providing audiences with a decade of memorable characters that have continued to make filmgoers melt under her undeniable charm. Sandra broke into the business as the hapless girl in action films like “Demolition Man” and “Speed” before moving on to numerous romantic comedies, including “While You Were Sleeping,” “Hope Floats” and “Two Weeks Notice.” Sandra’s career has hit a few “Speed” bumps along the way – including the mind-numbing, boat-themed sequel – but she has also surprised many critics and fans with sleeper hits like “Miss Congeniality” and “Murder by Numbers” along the way. In the years since, Sandra has proven herself capable of some great performances, particularly in her Oscar-winning turn in “The Blind Side,” and more recently, the space thriller “Gravity.”
Sandra Says
On fame:
“I’ve learned that success comes in a very prickly package. Whether you choose to accept it or not is up to you. It’s what you choose to do with it, the people you choose to surround yourself with. Always choose people that are better than you. Always choose people that challenge you and are smarter than you. Always be the student. Once you find yourself to be the teacher, you’ve lost it.”
On comedy:
“I love humor. I always will fall back on humor. That’s something that I think you can’t ever get enough of and, if it’s done well, it’s great. When it’s bad, it’s horrible.”
On stardom:
“It’s nothing. It’s money. It’s people recognizing you from the covers of magazines. But it doesn’t mean anything.”