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Sandra Bullock
Bullock at the premiere for The Proposal in June 2009
Born
Sandra Annette Bullock

(1964-07-26) July 26, 1964 (age 60)
Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, producer
Years active1985–present
Spouse(s)Jesse G. James
(2005–2010, divorced)
ChildrenLouis Bardo Bullock
Parent(s)John Bullock
Helga Meyer (deceased)

Sandra Annette Bullock (/[invalid input: 'icon']ˈbʊlək/; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s, after roles in successful films such as Speed and While You Were Sleeping. She has since established her career with films such as Miss Congeniality and Crash, the second of which received critical acclaim. In 2007, she was ranked as the 14th richest female celebrity with an estimated fortune of $85 million.[1] In 2009, Bullock starred in the most financially successful films of her career, The Proposal[2] and The Blind Side.[3] Bullock was awarded a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, and the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side.

Early life

Sandra Annette Bullock was born in Arlington, Virginia, daughter of John W. Bullock (born 1925), an Army employee and part time-voice coach from Birmingham, Alabama, and his wife Helga D. Meyer (1942–2000), a German opera singer and voice teacher.[4][5][6] Bullock's maternal grandfather was a rocket scientist from Nuremberg, Germany. John Bullock, then in charge of the Army's Military Postal Service in Europe, was stationed in Nuremberg when he met his wife. They married in Germany, soon moving to Arlington, where John Bullock worked with the Army Materiel Command, before becoming a contractor for The Pentagon.[7][8]

She loved animals so much that she got 5 dogs!! Bullock frequently accompanied her mother on her opera tours throughout Europe. She spent time in Salzburg and Nuremberg, where she stayed with her aunt and grandmother and became fluent in German. Bullock studied ballet and vocal arts as a child, taking small parts in her mother's opera productions.[4] She sang in the operas children's choir at the Staatstheater Nürnberg.[9]

Bullock attended Washington-Lee High School, where she was a cheerleader and performed in high school theater productions. After she graduated in 1982, she entered East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. However, she dropped out in her fourth year in spring of 1986, just three credits short of graduating, to become an actress. She moved to Manhattan and supported herself as a bartender, cocktail waitress, and coat checker. She later completed her coursework and graduated from East Carolina University.[10]

Acting

Bullock, Cannes Festival 2002

While in New York, Bullock took acting classes with Sanford Meisner.[citation needed] She appeared in several student films, and later landed a role in an Off-Broadway play No Time Flat. Director Alan J. Levi was impressed by Bullock's performance and offered her a part in the TV movie Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman (1989). Afterward, she was cast in a series of small roles in several independent films as well as in the lead role of the short-lived NBC television version of the film Working Girl (1990). She later appeared in several films, such as Love Potion No. 9 (1992), The Thing Called Love (1993) and Fire on the Amazon. [citation needed] A prominent supporting role in the science-fiction/action movie Demolition Man (1993) led to her breakthrough performance in Speed the following year. [citation needed] She became a movie star in the late 1990s, carrying a string of successes, including While You Were Sleeping, and Miss Congeniality in 2000. [citation needed] Bullock received $11 million for Speed 2: Cruise Control, which she agreed to star in for financial backing for her own project, Hope Floats,[11] and has revealed she regrets making the sequel.[12] She later received $17.5 million for Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous.[citation needed]

Bullock was selected as one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1996 and 1999, and was also ranked #58 in Empire magazine's Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list. She was presented with the 2002 Raúl Juliá Award for Excellence[13] for her efforts, as the executive producer of the sitcom George Lopez, in helping expand career openings for Hispanic talent in the media and entertainment industry. She also made several appearances on the show as Accident Amy, an accident-prone employee at the factory Lopez's character manages. In 2002, she starred opposite Hugh Grant in the global hit Two Weeks Notice and in the film Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. [citation needed]

Bullock at the acceptance ceremony of her Razzie for Worst Actress, 2010

In 2004, Bullock had a supporting role in the film Crash. She received positive reviews for her performance, with some critics suggesting that it was the best performance of her career.[14]. In 2005, she was a co-recipient of the Women in Film Crystal Award.

Bullock later appeared in The Lake House, a romantic drama also starring her Speed co-star, Keanu Reeves; it was released on June 16, 2006. Because their film characters are separated throughout the film (due to the plot revolving around time travel), Bullock and Reeves were only on set together for two weeks during filming.[15] The same year, Bullock appeared in Infamous, playing author Harper Lee. Bullock also starred in Premonition with Julian McMahon, which was released in March 2007.[16] 2009 proved to be especially good for Bullock, giving the actress two record highs in her career, as earlier in the year she released The Proposal, with co-star Ryan Reynolds, a huge hit that took in more than $314 million at the box office worldwide, making it her most successful picture to date.[17]

In November 2009, Bullock starred in The Blind Side, which opened at #2 behind New Moon with $34.2 million, making it her highest opening weekend ever. The Blind Side is unique in that it had a 17.6% increase at the box office its second weekend, and it took the top spot of the box office in its third weekend. The movie cost $29 million to make according to the Box Office Mojo. It has grossed over $250 million to date, making it her domestic highest grossing film and the first movie in history to pass the $200 million mark with only one top-billed female star.[18][19] She won the award for Best Actress at the Golden Globes, Academy Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance in The Blind Side.[20] Bullock had initially turned down the role three times due to a discomfort with portraying a devout Christian.[21] Winning the "Oscar" also gave her another unique distinction — since she won two "Razzies" the day before, for her performance in All About Steve, she is the only performer ever to have been named both "Best" and "Worst" for the same year.[22] Sandra was asked to return her 2009 "Worst Actress of the Year" Razzie award; however, this wasn't because of a change of heart for Bullock's performance that earned her award in the first place. In reality, when Sandra personally accepted her Razzie and left she accidentally took the original one-of-a-kind prototype Razzie, as opposed to the cheap trinket normally handed out to celebrities.[23]

Recognition

Sandra Bullock's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

As of 2009, Bullock's films have grossed over $3.1 billion worldwide.[24] According to The Numbers, her total domestic gross stands at $1.7 billion, placing her among the Top 100 Stars at the Box Office.[25]

Critics, while praising her screen persona,[26] have been less receptive to her films. As of the 2009 release of The Proposal, Mark Kermode said she's made only three "good" films in her career—Speed, While You Were Sleeping, and Crash, and says "she's funny, she's gorgeous, it's impossible not to love her and yet she makes rotten film after rotten film after rotten film."[27] As of 18 December 2009, Bullock has appeared on three Entertainment Weekly covers. She was selected by People Magazine as its "Woman of the Year" for 2010.[28]

Entrepreneurship

Bullock runs her own production company, Fortis Films. Her sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, was president of the company, but has since quit the business and moved to Montpelier, Vermont, where she opened a pastry shop and published a book.[29] Her father, John Bullock, is the company's CEO.[30] Bullock was an executive producer of The George Lopez Show, which garnered a lucrative syndication deal that banked her some $10 million (co-produced with Robert Borden). Bullock tried to produce a film based on F.X. Toole's short story, Million-Dollar Baby, but could not interest the studios in a female boxing drama. The story was eventually adapted and directed by Clint Eastwood as the Oscar-winning film, Million Dollar Baby (2004). Bullock's production company, Fortis Films, also produced All About Steve, which was released in September 2009.

Since November 2006, Bullock has owned an Austin, Texas, restaurant, Bess Bistro.[31] She later opened another business in downtown Austin called Walton's Fancy and Staple, a bakery and floral shop that also offers services such as event planning.[32]

Personal life

Relationships

Bullock was once engaged to actor Tate Donovan, whom she met while filming Love Potion No. 9; their relationship lasted four years. She previously dated football player Troy Aikman, Austin musician Bob Schneider (for two years), and actors Matthew McConaughey and Ryan Gosling.[33][34]

Bullock married motorcycle builder and Monster Garage host Jesse James on July 16, 2005. They first met when Bullock arranged for her ten-year-old godson to meet James as a Christmas present.

In November 2009, Bullock and James entered into a custody battle with James' second ex-wife, former pornographic actress Janine Lindemulder, with whom James had a child. Bullock and James subsequently won full legal custody of James' five-year-old daughter.[35]

In March 2010, a scandal arose when several women claimed to have had affairs with James during his marriage to Bullock.[36][37][38] Bullock cancelled European promotional appearances for The Blind Side citing "unforeseen personal reasons".[39][40] On March 18, 2010, James responded to the rumors of infidelity by issuing a public apology to Bullock. He stated, "The vast majority of the allegations reported are untrue and unfounded" and "Beyond that, I will not dignify these private matters with any further public comment."[41] James declared that "There is only one person to blame for this whole situation, and that is me", and asked that his wife and children one day "find it in their hearts to forgive me" for their current "pain and embarrassment".[41] James’ publicist subsequently announced on March 30, 2010, that James had checked into a rehab facility "to deal with personal issues" and "save his marriage" to Bullock.[42] However on April 28, 2010, it was reported that Bullock had filed for divorce[43] on April 23 in Austin.[44] Their divorce was finalized on June 28, 2010, with "conflict of personalities" cited as the reason.[45]

Bullock announced on April 28, 2010, that she had proceeded with plans to adopt a baby boy born in New Orleans.[46] Bullock and James had begun an initial adoption process four years earlier. The child began living with them in January 2010, but they chose to keep the news private until after the Oscars in March 2010. However, given the couple's separation and then divorce, Bullock continued the adoption of the baby, named Louis Bardo Bullock, as a single parent.[46]

Vehicular accidents

On December 20, 2000, Bullock and another passenger survived the crash of a chartered business jet during an attempted night landing at Jackson Hole Airport. The pilots were unable to activate the runway lights due to having out-of-date approach plates, but continued the landing. The aircraft landed in the airport's graded safety area between the runway and parallel taxiway and hit a snowbank. The accident caused a separation of the nose cone and landing gear, partial separation of the right wing, and a bend in the left wing.[47]

On April 18, 2008, while Bullock was in Massachusetts shooting the film The Proposal, she and her husband were in an SUV that was hit head-on (driver's side offset) at moderate speed by a drunken driver. Vehicle damage was not major and there were no injuries.[48]

In October 2004, Bullock won a multimillion-dollar judgment against Benny Daneshjou, the builder of her Lake Austin, Texas home; the jury ruled the house was uninhabitable. It has since been torn down and rebuilt.[49]

On April 22, 2007, Marcia Diana Valentine was found lying outside James's and Bullock's Southern California home in Orange County. When James confronted the woman, she ran to her 2004 silver Mercedes, got behind the wheel, and tried to run over James. The woman is said to be an obsessed fan of Sandra Bullock.[50] The woman was charged with one felony count each of aggravated assault and stalking, while Bullock obtained a restraining order to bar Valentine from "contacting or coming near her home, family or work for three years."[51] Valentine pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated assault and stalking.[52] Valentine was subsequently convicted of stalking and was sentenced to three years of probation.[53]

Charity work

Bullock has been a public supporter of the American Red Cross, having donated $1 million to the organization at least four times. Her first public donation of that amount was to the Red Cross's Liberty Disaster Relief Fund. Four years later, she sent money in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis.[54] In 2010, she donated $1 million to relief efforts in Haiti following the Haiti earthquake, and again donated the same amount following the 2011 Japan Earthquake.[55]

Along with other stars, Bullock did a PSA urging people to sign a petition for clean-up efforts of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.[56]

Bullock backs the Texas non-profit organization The Kindred Life Foundation, Inc. In late 2008, she joined other top celebrities in supporting the work of CEO and Founder Amos Ramirez. She shared this at a gala that raised money for the organization, "Amos has led many efforts across our nation that have helped families that are in need. Our country needs more organizations that are committed to the service that Kindred Life is.

Filmography

Feature films
Year Title Role Notes
1987 Hangmen Lisa Edwards
1989 Religion, Inc. (aka "A Fool and His Money") Debby
1989 Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman Kate Mason
1989 Who Shot Patakango? Devlin Moran
1989 The Preppie Murder Stacy
1990 Lucky/Chances Maria Santangelo
1992 Who Do I Gotta Kill? (aka "Me and the Mob") Lori
1992 When the Party's Over Amanda
1992 Love Potion No. 9 Diane Farrow
1993 The Vanishing Diane Shaver
1993 The Thing Called Love Linda Lue Linden
1993 Demolition Man Lt. Lenina Huxley Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress
1993 Fire on the Amazon Alyssa Rothman
1993 Wrestling Ernest Hemingway Elaine
1994 Speed Annie Porter Saturn Award for Best Actress
MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance
MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (with Keanu Reeves)
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (with Keanu Reeves)
1995 While You Were Sleeping Lucy Moderatz Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance
1995 The Net Angela Bennett/Ruth Marx
1996 Two If by Sea Roz
1996 A Time to Kill Ellen Roark
1996 In Love and War Agnes Von Kurowsky
1997 Speed 2: Cruise Control Annie Porter Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Actress
Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (with Jason Patric)
1997 Making Sandwiches actor/writer/director/producer Debut—Sundance Film Festival
1998 Hope Floats Roberta "Birdee" Pruitt
1998 Practical Magic Sally Owens
1998 The Prince of Egypt (animated film) Miriam (Voice)
1999 Forces of Nature Sarah Lewis
2000 Gun Shy Judy Tipp
2000 28 Days Gwen Cummings
2000 Miss Congeniality Gracie Hart Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2002 Murder by Numbers Cassie Mayweather/Jessica Marie Hudson
2002 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Siddalee Walker
2002 Two Weeks Notice Lucy Kelson
2004 Crash Jean Cabot Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated—Gotham Awards for Best Ensemble
2005 Loverboy Mrs. Harker
2005 Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Gracie Hart
2006 The Lake House Kate Forster
2006 Infamous Nelle Harper Lee
2007 Premonition Linda Hanson
2009 The Proposal Margaret Tate Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2009 All About Steve Mary Horowitz Razzie Award for Worst Actress
Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple (with Bradley Cooper)
2009 The Blind Side Leigh Anne Tuohy Academy Award for Best Actress
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress (tied with Meryl Streep)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Nominated—Denver Film Critics Award for Best Actress
Nominated—Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress
Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated—Washington D.C. Area Films Critics Association for Best Actress

References

  1. ^ Goldman, Lea (18 January 2007). "The 20 Richest Women In Entertainment". Forbes.com. Retrieved 6 January 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "The Proposal (2009)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  3. ^ "The Blind Side (2009)". Box Office Mojo. 2010-02-21. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  4. ^ a b "Biography". Sandra Bullock Online. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  5. ^ Sandra Bullock genealogy from freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com
  6. ^ "Sandra Bullock Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  7. ^ Hamm, Liza (2009-09-30). "Sandra Bullock: Mom was the life of the party". People.com. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  8. ^ Chiu, Alexis (2007-03-26). "Sandra Bullock: 'I have my family'". People.com. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  9. ^ "Die Nette von nebenan" (in German). Kino.de. Retrieved July 15, 2006.
  10. ^ "Working Girl". ECU Report. 21 (3). Spring/Summer 1990. Retrieved 2009-11-09. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Festival History: 1987: Speed 2: Cruise Control", Damascus International Film Festival XVIII, 7–13 November 2010
  12. ^ "Sandra regrets making Speed 2". Nation.
  13. ^ Shor, Donna (2002). "Around Town". Washington Life Magazine. Retrieved February 5, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  14. ^ Giles, Jeff (18 June 2009). "Total Recall: Sandra Bullock's Best Movies". IGN Entertainment. News Corporation. p. 2. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  15. ^ Topel, Fred. "Speed Demons". The Wave Magazine. Archived from the original on December 16, 2006. Retrieved June 17, 2006.
  16. ^ Whipp, Glenn (January 20, 2007). "Dead or alive?". San Bernardino County Sun. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
  17. ^ "The Proposal (2009)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  18. ^ "The Blind Side (2009)". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. 2010-02-21. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  19. ^ Donaldson, Catherine (2010-01-05). "Sandra Bullock Makes History!". People.com. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  20. ^ "Life begins at 45: Bullock wins best actress award at Golden Globes". The Independent. London. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
  21. ^ Swartzendruber, Jay (2009-11-17). "Believers Walk the Talk in The Blind Side". Crosswalk.com. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
  22. ^ Dobuzinskis, Alex (2010-03-07). "Oscar hopeful Sandra Bullock crowned worst actress". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
  23. ^ "Sandra Bullock asked to return Razzie 'Worst Actress' award". OnTheRedCarpet.com. 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  24. ^ Sandra Bullock from The Numbers
  25. ^ "1990s Top 100 Stars at the Box Office". The Numbers. Nash Information Services.
  26. ^ "Sandra Bullock is the movies' Miss Versatility". Newsday. June 11, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
  27. ^ "Loving Sandra Bullock. Sandra Bullock got two nomination for Golden Globe Awards for "The Proposal" and "The Blind Side"". Kermode Uncut [Video] Blog. BBC. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
  28. ^ Pizzello, Chris (2010-12-27). "Sandra Bullock: Woman of the Year". People. Vol. 74, no. 24. pp. 80–81. Retrieved 2011-03-07.
  29. ^ Bullock-Prado, Gesine (2009). Confections of a Closet Master Baker: One Woman's Sweet Journey from Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker. New York: Broadway Books. ISBN 9780767932684. OCLC 298541349.
  30. ^ "Sandra Bullock". Yahoo!. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
  31. ^ Bess Bistro, a restaurant owned by Bullock
  32. ^ About Walton's Fancy and Staple, from their official website
  33. ^ Cohen, Sandy (March 18, 2010). "Private drama plagues Oscar winner Sandra Bullock". boston.com. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  34. ^ "Praising Private Ryan". The Sydney Morning Herald. April 27, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  35. ^ "Sandra Bullock Custody Battle". National Ledger. November 7, 2009. Retrieved November 19, 2009.
  36. ^ "Jesse James's Alleged Mistress No. 1 to 'Clear the Air' Soon". People. March 30, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  37. ^ "Woman No. 3: I 'Made a Mistake' with Jesse James". People. March 30, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  38. ^ "A Fourth Woman Alleges Affair with Jesse James". People. March 31, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  39. ^ "Sandra Bullock Pulls Out of London Premiere". People. March 17, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  40. ^ "Without Sandra Bullock, Blind Side's Berlin Premiere Canceled". People. March 23, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  41. ^ a b "Jesse James Apologizes to Sandra Bullock and His Children". People. March 18, 2010. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  42. ^ "Jesse James Checks into Treatment Facility". People. March 30, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  43. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Sandra Bullock Has Filed for Divorce". People. April 28, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  44. ^ "Sandra Bullock's Divorce Likely Won't Be Messy". People. April 28, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  45. ^ "Sandra Bullock, Jesse James Divorce FInalized". TVGuide.com.
  46. ^ a b "World Exclusive: Meet Sandra Bullock's Baby Boy!". People. April 28, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  47. ^ "Accident Brief DEN01FA030". NTSB. 2000. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  48. ^ "Sandra Bullock's Car Hit Head-On". WCVB TV Boston. April 19, 2008. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
  49. ^ Pearce, Garth (January 27, 2007). "On the Move: Sandra Bullock". London: Times Online. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
  50. ^ Lee, Ken (2007-04-26). "Cops: Woman Tried to Kill Sandra Bullock's Husband — Jesse James, Sandra Bullock". People.com. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  51. ^ "Sandra Bullock fan charged with stalking". MSNBC. May 17, 2007.
  52. ^ "Stalker denies attempt to run over Sandra Bullock's husband". LondonNet. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  53. ^ Chernikoff, Leah (November 13, 2008). "Sandra Bullock stalker Marcia Valentine sentenced to three years probation". New York Daily News. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  54. ^ "Sandra Bullock donates $1 mil for tsunami". CNN. 2005. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  55. ^ "Sandra Bullock sends million for Japan". CNN. March 18, 2011.
  56. ^ "Sandra Bullock Urges Fans to Help in Gulf Oil Spill". UsMagazine.com.
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