Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and film producer. The
highest-paid actress of 2010 and 2014,
Bullock's filmography spans both comedy and drama, and
her accolades include an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
and a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
. She was named one of
''Time''s 100 most influential people in the world in 2010.
After making her acting debut with a minor role in the thriller ''
Hangmen'' (1987), Bullock received early attention for her supporting role in the action film ''
Demolition Man'' (1993). Her breakthrough in the action thriller ''
Speed
In kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a non-negative scalar quantity. Intro ...
'' (1994) led to leading roles in the romantic comedy ''
While You Were Sleeping'' (1995), and the dramas ''
A Time to Kill'' (1996) and ''
Hope Floats'' (1998). She achieved further success in the following decades with the comedies ''
Miss Congeniality'' (2000), ''
Two Weeks Notice'' (2002), ''
The Proposal'' (2009), ''
The Heat'' (2013), ''
Ocean's 8'' (2018), and ''
The Lost City'' (2022); the dramas ''
Crash'' (2004) and ''
The Unforgivable'' (2021); and the thrillers ''
Premonition'' (2007) and ''
Bird Box'' (2018). For her portrayal of
Leigh Anne Tuohy in the biographical drama ''
The Blind Side'' (2009), Bullock won the
Academy Award for Best Actress
The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
. She was nominated for the same award for playing an astronaut stranded in space in the science fiction thriller ''
Gravity
In physics, gravity (), also known as gravitation or a gravitational interaction, is a fundamental interaction, a mutual attraction between all massive particles. On Earth, gravity takes a slightly different meaning: the observed force b ...
'' (2013), which is her highest-grossing live-action film.
In addition to acting, Bullock is the founder of the production company
Fortis Films. She has produced some of the films in which she has starred, including ''
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous'' (2005) and ''
All About Steve'' (2009), and served as an executive producer on the
ABC sitcom ''
George Lopez'' (2002–2007), on which she made numerous appearances. Dubbed "America's sweetheart" by the media, Bullock was also named the
Most Beautiful Woman by ''
People
The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' magazine in 2015.
Early life and education
Bullock was born on July 26, 1964, in
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...
, to Helga Mathilde (
née
The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Meyer; 1942–2000), an opera singer and voice teacher from
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
; and John Wilson Bullock (1925–2018), an
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
employee and part-time voice coach from
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...
. Her father, who was in charge of the
Army's Military Postal Service in Europe, was stationed in
Nuremberg
Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
when he met her mother.
Her parents married in Germany. Bullock's maternal grandfather was a German rocket scientist from Nuremberg. The family returned to Arlington, where her father worked with the
Army Materiel Command before becoming a contractor for
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The building was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As ...
.
Bullock has a younger sister,
Gesine Bullock-Prado, who served as president of Bullock's production company Fortis Films.
For 12 years, Bullock lived in
Nuremberg
Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
, West Germany; and
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
and
Salzburg
Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...
, Austria,
and grew up speaking German.
She had a
Waldorf education
Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Its educational style is holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical sk ...
in Nuremberg.
As a child, while her mother went on European opera tours, Bullock usually stayed with her aunt Christl and cousin Susanne, the latter of whom later married politician
Peter Ramsauer. Bullock studied ballet and vocal arts as a child and frequently accompanied her mother, taking small parts in her opera productions.
In Nuremberg, she sang in the opera's children's choir. Bullock has a scar above her left eye which was caused by a fall into a creek when she was a child. While she maintains her American citizenship, she applied for German citizenship in 2009.
Bullock attended
Washington-Lee High School
Washington-Liberty High School, formerly known as Washington-Lee High School, is a public high school in the Arlington Public Schools district in Arlington, Virginia, covering grades 9–12. Its attendance area serves the central third of Ar ...
, where she was a cheerleader and performed in school theater productions. After graduating in 1982, she attended
East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of universities in North Carolina by enrollment, fourth largest university in North Carolina and the only one in the state with s ...
in
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville ( ; ) is the county seat of and the most populous city in Pitt County, North Carolina, United States. It is the principal city of the Greenville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the List of municipalities in North Carolina, 12t ...
, where she received a
BFA in Drama in 1987. While at East Carolina, she performed in theater productions, including ''
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...
'' and ''
Three Sisters''. She then moved to
Manhattan, New York
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, where she supported herself as a bartender, cocktail waitress, and coat checker while auditioning for roles.
Career
Early roles and breakthrough (1987–1995)
While in New York, Bullock took acting classes with
Sanford Meisner.
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 made-for-television film ''
Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman'' (1989). This led to her being cast in a series of small roles in several
independent film
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is film production, produced outside the Major film studios, major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independ ...
s, and in the lead role of the short-lived
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
television version of the film ''
Working Girl'' (1990). She went on to appear in several films, such as ''
Love Potion No. 9'' (1992), ''
The Thing Called Love'' (1993) and ''
Fire on the Amazon'' (1993), before her supporting role in the sci-fi action film ''
Demolition Man'' (1993).

In 1994, she played Annie Porter, a passenger eventually driving a bus that was rigged by a terrorist, in the smash-hit blockbuster ''
Speed
In kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a non-negative scalar quantity. Intro ...
'' alongside
Keanu Reeves. She was required to read for ''Speed'' to ensure that there was the right chemistry between her and Reeves. She recalls they had to do "all these really physical scenes together, rolling around on the floor and stuff." ''Speed'' received critical acclaim, with
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
calling it a "terrific popcorn thriller
ithoutstanding performances from Keanu Reeves,
Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock", grossed $350 million worldwide,
and helped establish Bullock as a
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
actress. She won
Best Actress at the
21st Saturn Awards and
Best Female Performance and
Most Desirable Female at the
1995 MTV Movie Awards.
Bullock headlined the romantic comedy ''
While You Were Sleeping'' (1995) as a lonely
Chicago Transit Authority
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of public transport, mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago "L" and List of Chicago Transit Authority bus routes, CTA bu ...
token collector who saves the life of a man. The film had a positive reception from critics, who felt that it was "assembled with such skill—and with such a charming performance from Sandra Bullock—that it gives formula a good name." She received her first nomination for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. The thriller ''
The Net'' (also 1995), starred Bullock as a computer programmer who stumbles upon a conspiracy that puts her life and the lives of those around her in great danger.
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman (born February 24, 1959) is an American film critic who has been chief film critic for '' Variety'' magazine since May 2016, a title he shares with . Previously, Gleiberman wrote for ''Entertainment Weekly'' from 1990 until 2014. ...
, writing for ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'', complimented her performance, saying, "Bullock pulls you into the movie. Her overripe smile and clear, imploring eyes are sometimes evocative of
Julia Roberts". ''While You Were Sleeping'' and ''The Net'' made $182 million and $110.6 million, respectively.
Worldwide recognition (1996–2007)
In ''
A Time to Kill'' (1996), a legal drama based on
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham Jr. (; born February 8, 1955) is an American novelist, lawyer, and former politician, known for his best-selling legal thrillers. According to the Academy of Achievement, American Academy of Achievement, Grisham has written 37 ...
's 1989
novel of the same name, Bullock portrayed a member of the defense team in the trial for the murder of two men who raped a young girl, opposite
Samuel L. Jackson,
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He achieved his breakthrough with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first su ...
and
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. Known for Kevin Spacey on screen and stage, his work on stage and screen, he List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Spacey, has received numerous accolades, including two ...
. She received an
MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Female Performance. She subsequently received $11 million for ''
Speed 2: Cruise Control'' (1997), which she agreed to star in for financial backing for her next project, ''
Hope Floats'' (1998). Unlike the original film, ''Speed 2'' was a critical and commercial flop that she later disparaged. In ''Hope Floats'', she starred as an unassuming housewife whose life is disrupted when her husband (played by
Michael Paré) reveals his infidelity to her on a talk show. Critic
James Berardinelli remarked that her "undisputed strength lies in a blend of light drama and comedy". That film was a commercial success, grossing $81.4 million worldwide.
Bullock starred in the comedy ''
Practical Magic
''Practical Magic'' is a 1998 American romantic fantasy film based on the 1995 novel '' Practical Magic'' by Alice Hoffman. The film was directed by Griffin Dunne and stars Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, ...
'' (1998) alongside
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an Australian and American actress and producer. Known for Nicole Kidman on screen and stage, her work in film and television productions across many genres, she has consistently ranked among the world ...
as two witch sisters who face a curse which threatens to prevent them ever finding lasting love. While the film opened atop the chart on its North American opening weekend, it flopped at the box office. That year, she voiced Miriam in the
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios or simply DreamWorks) is an American animation studio, owned by Comcast's NBCUniversal as part of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios, Inc, Universal Stud ...
film ''
The Prince of Egypt
''The Prince of Egypt'' is a 1998 American animated musical drama film directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells, and written by Philip LaZebnik, from a story by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook. Produced by DreamWorks Pictur ...
'' and wrote, produced, and directed the short film ''
Making Sandwiches''. She next played a free-spirited drifter who begins to talk to a writer (
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
) in the romantic comedy ''
Forces of Nature'' (1999), on which ''Boxoffice Magazine'' remarked: "The combination of Affleck's deadpan by-the-book persona with the spontaneity of Bullock's character sparks with convincing chemistry." ''Forces of Nature'' made $93 million worldwide. Bullock took on the role of an
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
agent who must go undercover as a beauty pageant contestant in the comedy ''
Miss Congeniality'' (2000), which became another financial success, with a global gross of $212 million. It earned her a second nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. In ''
28 Days'' (also 2000), a dramedy directed by
Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas (born Betty Lucille Nienhauser; July 27, 1947) is an American director and actress. She is known for her role as Sergeant Lucy Bates on the television series ''Hill Street Blues''.
Early life
Thomas was born Betty Lucille Nienhaus ...
, Bullock starred as a newspaper columnist obliged to enter a rehabilitation program for alcoholism.
Bullock starred in the psychological thriller ''
Murder by Numbers'' (2002) as a seasoned homicide detective.
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
awarded the film three stars out of a possible four, stating: "Bullock does a good job here of working against her natural likability, creating a character you'd like to like, and could like, if she weren't so sad, strange and turned in upon herself." She teamed up with
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. He has received List of awards ...
for the romantic comedy ''
Two Weeks Notice'' (also 2002), in which she starred as a lawyer who walks out on her boss. Liz Braun, of ''Jam! Movies'', found Bullock and Grant to be "perfectly paired", stating: "The script allows the two actors to be at their comedic best, even though the film as a whole is amateurish in many ways". ''Two Weeks Notice'' made $199 million globally. That year, she was presented with the
Raul Julia
Raúl Rafael Carlos Juliá y Arcelay (March 9, 1940 – October 24, 1994) was a Puerto Rican actor. He was known for his intense and varied roles on stage and screen. He started his career in the Public Theater before transitioning to film. He ...
Award for Excellence for helping expand career openings for Hispanic talent in the media and entertainment industry as the executive producer of the sitcom ''
George Lopez'' (2002–2007). She also made several appearances on the show as
Accident Amy, an accident-prone employee at the factory Lopez's character manages.
As part of a large ensemble cast, Bullock played the wife of a district attorney in the drama ''
Crash'' (2004), which won the
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film a ...
. She received positive reviews for her performance, with some critics suggesting that it was the best performance of her career to that point. For ''Crash'', she received the
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture along with the rest of the cast. She next received a $17.5 million salary for ''
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous'', which Roger Ebert called a "doubly unnecessary" sequel. She was a co-recipient of the 2005
Women in Film
Women are involved in the film industry in all roles, including as film directors, actor, actresses, cinematographers, film producers, film criticism, film critics, and other film industry professions, though women have been underrepresented in ...
Crystal Award. In 2006, Bullock reunited with
Keanu Reeves for the romantic drama ''
The Lake House'', although their characters were separated throughout the film and they were only on set together for two weeks during filming, and played
Harper Lee
Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016) was an American novelist whose 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and became a classic of modern American literature. She assisted her close friend Truman ...
in ''
Infamous'', a drama based on
George Plimpton's 1997 book ''Truman Capote'', alongside
Toby Jones
Toby Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. He is known for his extensive character actor roles on stage and screen. From 1989 ...
and
Daniel Craig. ''The Lake House'' was a financial success, while ''Infamous'' received generally positive reviews. Bullock headlined the supernatural thriller ''
Premonition'' (2007) as a housewife who experiences the days surrounding her husband's death in non-chronological order. Despite negative reviews, the film grossed $84.1 million worldwide.
Established career (2008–2014)

In 2009, Bullock starred as a pushy editor-in-chief in the romantic comedy ''
The Proposal'', opposite
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian and American actor, producer and businessman. Known for starring in comedic and superhero films, he was the List of highest-paid film actors, world's second-highest-paid actor in 202 ...
, which grossed $317 million at the worldwide box office, making it her fourth-most successful picture to date.
She received her third nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. That same year, the drama ''
The Blind Side'' opened at number two behind ''
New Moon
In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...
'' with $34.2 million, making it Bullock's second-highest opening weekend ever; it went on to gross over $309 million, making it her highest-grossing domestic film, her fourth-highest-grossing film worldwide, and the first one in history to pass the $200 million mark with only one top-billed female star. Bullock portrayed
Leigh Anne Tuohy, the adoptive mother of
Michael Oher, a role she had initially turned down three times due to discomfort in portraying a devout Christian. She was awarded the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
,
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
,
Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
and
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress. ''The Blind Side'' also received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Winning the Oscar also gave Bullock another unique distinction: the prior night, she won the
Razzie Award for Worst Actress for her performance as an eccentric
crossword puzzle
A crossword (or crossword puzzle) is a word game consisting of a grid of black and white squares, into which solvers enter words or phrases ("entries") crossing each other horizontally ("across") and vertically ("down") according to a set of cl ...
writer in ''
All About Steve'' (2009), becoming the only actor in history to win both awards for the same year.
By 2010, Bullock was said to be "courted for virtually every female starring role Hollywood has to offer", according to ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
''.
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
, her co-star in the romantic comedy ''Forces of Nature'' (1999), stated: "Every movie you hear about and every script I see, they say, 'We're going after Sandra Bullock for the woman'."
She decided to eschew "the torrent of offers" in favour of "quietly
uttingacting on hold" to focus on her personal life. She also became "more selective" with the projects that she accepted, on which she said: "As I've gotten older, I say 'No' a lot more. I've become a better fighter for my work. I didn't have the guts to do that before". In 2010, she was the
world's highest-paid actress. She would next star alongside
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
as a widow of the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
in the drama ''
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'' (2011), a film adaptation based on the
novel of the same name. Despite mixed reviews, the film was nominated for numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Picture. Bullock was nominated for Favorite Actress Drama by
Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...
.
In 2013, Bullock starred alongside
Melissa McCarthy
Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Melissa McCarthy, numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Award ...
in the comedy ''
The Heat'' as an
FBI Special Agent
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. An agency of the United States Department of Justice, the FBI is a member of ...
who, along with a city detective, must take down a mobster in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. It received positive reviews from critics, and took in $230 million at the worldwide box office. Bullock subsequently played an astronaut stranded in space in the sci-fi thriller ''
Gravity
In physics, gravity (), also known as gravitation or a gravitational interaction, is a fundamental interaction, a mutual attraction between all massive particles. On Earth, gravity takes a slightly different meaning: the observed force b ...
'', opposite
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...
, which premiered at the
70th Venice Film Festival and was released on October 4, 2013, to coincide with the beginning of
World Space Week.
''Gravity'' received universal critical acclaim and a standing ovation in Venice.
The film was called "the most realistic and beautifully choreographed film ever set in space" and certain critics considered Bullock's performance to be the best of her career.
''Gravity'' grossed $716 million worldwide to become Bullock's second-most successful film.
For her role as Dr. Ryan Stone, Bullock was nominated for the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award,
BAFTA Award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...
,
Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1995 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
, and
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress
The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress is an award given out at the annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The awards are presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), and was first presented in 1995. There were no official ...
. On her performance, ''Variety'' wrote: Bullock inhabits the role with grave dignity and hints at Stone's past scars with sensitivity and tact, and she holds the screen effortlessly once ''Gravity'' becomes a veritable one-woman show
..the actress remains fully present emotionally, projecting a very appealing combo of vulnerability, intelligence and determination that not only wins us over immediately, but sustains attention all the way through the cathartic closing reels. In 2014, she was Hollywood's highest-paid actress.
Success with limited work (2015–present)
Bullock provided her voice for Scarlet Overkill, the villainous character, in the animated film ''
Minions'' (2015), which became her highest-grossing film to date with a worldwide gross of over $1.1 billion. In 2015, she served as an executive producer and starred, as a political consultant hired to help win a Bolivian presidential election, in the drama ''
Our Brand Is Crisis'', based on the
2005 documentary film of the same name by Rachel Boynton. Peter Debruge of ''
Variety'' found Bullock's portrayal to be "easily one of the best female roles of the last 10 years", but film had the worst
wide release
In the motion picture industry, a wide release (short for nationwide release) is a film playing at the same time at cinemas in most markets across a country. This is in contrast to the formerly common practice of a roadshow theatrical release in ...
opening of her career.
In ''
Ocean's 8'' (2018), an all-female spin-off of the ''Ocean's Eleven'' franchise directed by
Gary Ross, Bullock played Debbie Ocean, the sister of
Danny Ocean, who helps plan a sophisticated heist of the annual
Met Gala
The Met Gala, formally called the Costume Institute Benefit, is the annual haute couture fundraising festival held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in Manhattan. The Met Gala was and still is popularly rega ...
in New York City. Writing for ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'', Josh Spieger called the film a "welcome return to the big screen for Bullock" and observed: "She has reached a point in her career where she chooses her roles with care; before ''Gravity'', she'd only co-starred in a handful of films over the previous five years, including her Oscar-winning turn in ''The Blind Side''. ''Ocean's 8'' is Bullock's first true franchise film in decades
..and it suggests that her decision to be more selective in which projects she picks can pay off in dividends". ''Ocean's 8'' had the best debut for the franchise, and ultimately made $297 million globally.
Her next role was that of Malorie, a woman who must find a way to guide herself and her children to safety despite the potential threat from an unseen adversary, in the
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
post-apocalyptic horror film ''
Bird Box'' (2018), based on the
novel of the same name. She received acclaim for her performance, with ''Variety'' and ''The Wrap'' describing it as "wonderfully self-reliant", and "fascinating and terrifying to watch," respectively. ''Bird Box'' was the most-watched film on Netflix within 28 days of its release until 2021. In another production for Netflix,
Nora Fingscheidt's drama ''
The Unforgivable'' (2021), Bullock played a woman who is released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime. It became the fifth most-streamed-film on the platform at the time of its release.
She took on the role of a successful yet depressed best-selling romance novelist in
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
' ''
The Lost City'' (2022), a ''
Romancing the Stone''-style romantic comedy–adventure film, directed by
Adam and Aaron Nee, opposite
Channing Tatum
Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut in the drama ''Coach Carter'' (2005), and had his Breakthrough role, breakthrough with the sports comedy film ''She's the Man'' (2006) and t ...
and
Daniel Radcliffe. The film was favorably received by critics, who praised the chemistry between Bullock and Tatum, and grossed $190.8 million globally, which made Bullock "the first actress to have $100 million earners in live-action star vehicles over four different decades", according to ''Forbes''. She also featured in the
Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...
-starring action thriller ''
Bullet Train'' (2022), in a mostly vocal performance.
Other endeavours
Business ventures
Bullock owns the production company
Fortis Films, through which she has served as a producer for several of her
star vehicles, including ''Hope Floats'' (1998), ''Miss Congeniality'' (2000), ''Two Weeks Notice'' (2002) and ''Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous'' (2005), as well as for the sitcom ''
George Lopez'' (2002–2007). Her father, John Bullock, was the company's CEO and her sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, is the former president. The company is headquartered in
Austin, Texas
Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
and
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757.
History
Most historical writing ...
.
In November 2006, Bullock founded an Austin, Texas, restaurant named Bess Bistro which was located on West 6th Street. She later opened another business, Walton's Fancy and Staple, across the street in a building she extensively renovated. Walton's is a bakery, upscale restaurant, and floral shop that also offers services including event planning. After almost nine years in business, Bess Bistro closed on September 20, 2015.
Philanthropy
Bullock has been a public supporter of the
American Red Cross
The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...
and has donated $1 million to the organization at least five times. Her first public donation of that amount was to the
Liberty Disaster Relief Fund. Three years later, she sent money in
response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. In 2010, she donated $1 million to relief efforts in Haiti following the
Haiti earthquake and again donated the same amount following the
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
On 11 March 2011, at 14:46:24 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46:24 UTC), a 9.0–9.1 Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region. It lasted approx ...
. She donated $1 million in 2017 to support relief efforts for
Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
In 2010, along with other public figures, Bullock made a public service announcement urging people to sign a petition for clean-up efforts of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
The ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill was an environmental disaster off the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico, on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. It is considered the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum in ...
in the Gulf of Mexico. Bullock was inducted into the Warren Easton Hall of Fame in 2012, for her donations to charities, and was honored with the
Favorite Humanitarian Award at the
39th People's Choice Awards, for her contributions to New Orleans'
Warren Easton High School, which was severely damaged by
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...
.
In 2014, Bullock designed a space-themed
Paddington Bear statue, dubbed "Gravity Bear" (a reference to her 2013 film ''Gravity''). The statue, number 43 out of 58 placed around London as part of the Paddington Trail, was located at the
Royal Observatory in
Greenwich
Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross.
Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...
, and was subsequently auctioned off to raise funds for the
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a British child protection charity founded as the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (LSPCC) by Thomas Agnew on 19 April 1883. The NSPCC lobbies t ...
(NSPCC).
Public image
Bullock has been dubbed "America's sweetheart" by the media in reference to her "friendly and direct and so unpretentious" nature. She was selected as one of ''
People
The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the world in 1996, 1999, and 2011. The publication named her as its Woman of the Year in 2010 as well as the
Most Beautiful Woman in 2015.
In 2010, ''Time'' magazine included Bullock in its annual
''Time'' 100 as one of the most influential people in the world, and ''Entertainment Weekly'' named her The Most Powerful Actress in Hollywood.
In she joined other Hollywood legends at the
TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in making imprints of her hands and feet in cement of the theater's forecourt. That year, she was named among The Most Powerful Women in Entertainment by ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'', and Entertainer of the Year, due to her success with ''The Heat'' and ''Gravity'', by ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
''. Bullock ranked #2 on the 2014 ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' list of most powerful actresses and was honored with the Decade of Hotness Award by
Spike Guys' Choice Awards.
Personal life
Bullock owns properties in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
Austin
Austin refers to:
Common meanings
* Austin, Texas, United States, a city
* Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...
and
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
.
On December 20, 2000, she was in a private jet crash on a runway from which she and the two crew escaped uninjured. Pilot error and blizzard conditions were responsible. The crew were unable to
activate the runway lights during a night landing at
Jackson Hole Airport.
Bullock won a multimillion-dollar judgment against Benny Daneshjou, the builder of her Lake Austin, Texas, home in October 2004. The jury ruled that the house was uninhabitable. It has since been torn down and rebuilt. Daneshjou and his insurer later settled with Bullock for roughly half the awarded verdict.
While Bullock was in Massachusetts on April 18, 2008, shooting ''The Proposal'', she and her then-husband
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, Bank robbery, bank and Train robbery, train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the "Little Dixie (Missouri), Little Dixie" area of M ...
were in a vehicle that was hit head-on by a drunk driver. They were uninjured.
Relationships and family

Bullock was once engaged to actor
Tate Donovan
Tate Buckley Donovan (born September 25, 1963) is an American actor, comedian and television director. He is known for portraying Tom Shayes in ''Damages'', Jimmy Cooper in '' The O.C.'', and the voice of the title character in the 1997 Disne ...
, whom she met while filming ''
Love Potion No. 9''. Their relationship lasted three years. She dated football player
Troy Aikman and actors
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He achieved his breakthrough with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first su ...
and
Ryan Gosling
Ryan Thomas Gosling ( ; born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. His work includes both independent films and major studio features, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, a ...
.
Bullock married motorcycle builder and ''
Monster Garage
''Monster Garage'' is an American reality television series that aired on the Discovery Channel and hosted by Jesse James (television personality), Jesse James. Each episode was an hour in length and was conceived and produced (along with James) ...
''host
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, Bank robbery, bank and Train robbery, train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the "Little Dixie (Missouri), Little Dixie" area of M ...
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 adult film actress
Janine Lindemulder, with whom James had a child. Bullock and James subsequently won full legal custody of James' five-year-old daughter.
A scandal arose in March 2010 when several women claimed to have had affairs with James during his marriage to Bullock. Bullock canceled European promotional appearances for ''The Blind Side'' citing "unforeseen personal reasons". 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
..beyond that, I will not dignify these private matters with any further public comment."
James declared, "There is only one person to blame for this whole situation, and that is me." He asked that Bullock and their children one day "find it in their hearts to forgive me" for their "pain and embarrassment".
James' publicist subsequently announced on March 30, 2010, that James had checked into a rehabilitation facility to "deal with personal issues" and save his relationship to Bullock. On April 23, 2010, Bullock filed for divorce in
Austin, Texas
Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
. Their divorce was finalized on June 28, 2010, with "conflict of personalities" cited as the reason.
Bullock announced in 2010 that she had proceeded with plans to adopt a son born in January 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Bullock and James had begun an initial adoption process four months earlier. Bullock's son began living with them in January 2010 but they chose to keep the news private until after the Oscars ceremony that March. Given the pair's split and subsequent divorce, Bullock continued the adoption of her son as a single parent.
Bullock announced in December 2015 that she had adopted a second child and appeared on the cover of ''People'' magazine with her then three-year-old new daughter.
Bullock was in a relationship with photographer Bryan Randall from mid-2015 until Randall's death due to
ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
on August 5, 2023.
Stalking incidents
Beginning in 2002 Bullock was stalked across several states by a man named Thomas James Weldon. Bullock obtained a restraining order against him in 2003, which was renewed in 2006. After the restraining order expired and Weldon was released from a mental institution, he again traveled through several states to find Bullock; she then obtained another restraining order.
On April 22, 2007, a woman named Marcia Diana Valentine was found lying outside James and Bullock's home in
Orange County, California
Orange County (officially the County of Orange; often initialized O.C.) is a county (United States), county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population ...
. When James confronted the woman, she ran to her car, got behind the wheel and tried to run him over. She was said to be an obsessed fan of Bullock. Valentine was charged with one felony count each of aggravated assault and stalking. Bullock obtained a restraining order to bar Valentine from "contacting or coming near her home, family or work for three years". Valentine pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated assault and stalking. She was subsequently convicted of stalking and sentenced to three years' probation.
Joshua James Corbett broke into Bullock's Los Angeles home in June 2014. Bullock locked herself in a room and dialed 911. Corbett pleaded no contest in 2017 and was sentenced to five years' probation for stalking Bullock and breaking into her residence. He was then subject to a ten-year protective order that required him to stay away from Bullock. After Corbett missed a court date the previous month, police officers went to his parents' residence on May 2, 2018, where he lived in a guest house, to arrest him. He refused to leave and threatened to shoot officers. A SWAT team was called and, after a five-hour standoff, they deployed gas canisters and entered the house where they found Corbett had committed suicide. Corbett's death was the result of "multiple incised wounds" according to the Los Angeles County coroner.
Filmography and accolades

Bullock has starred in
over 50 films, and has helped produce over 15 works in film and television. Her highest-grossing releases are ''
Speed
In kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a non-negative scalar quantity. Intro ...
'' (1994), ''
A Time to Kill'' (1996), ''
The Prince of Egypt
''The Prince of Egypt'' is a 1998 American animated musical drama film directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells, and written by Philip LaZebnik, from a story by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook. Produced by DreamWorks Pictur ...
'' (1998), ''
Miss Congeniality'' (2000), ''
The Proposal'' (2009), ''
The Blind Side'' (2009), ''
The Heat'' (2013), ''
Gravity
In physics, gravity (), also known as gravitation or a gravitational interaction, is a fundamental interaction, a mutual attraction between all massive particles. On Earth, gravity takes a slightly different meaning: the observed force b ...
'' (2013), ''
Minions'' (2015), and ''
Ocean's 8'' (2018).
On March 24, 2005, Bullock received a
motion picture star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.
Her performance in the biographical drama film ''The Blind Side'' (2009) garnered her the
Academy Award for Best Actress
The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
, the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and the
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Bullock was nominated again in these categories for her performance in the film ''Gravity'' (2013).
References
Notes
Further reading
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bullock, Sandra
1964 births
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Austin, Texas
Actresses from New Orleans
Actresses from Virginia
American film actresses
American television actresses
Film producers from Virginia
American people of German descent
American women restaurateurs
American restaurateurs
American retail chief executives
American women chief executives
American women company founders
American film production company founders
American women film producers
American women philanthropists
American women television producers
Best Actress Academy Award winners
Best Drama Actress Golden Globe (film) winners
Businesspeople from New Orleans
East Carolina University alumni
Living people
Naturalized citizens of Germany
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners
Actors from Arlington County, Virginia
Television producers from Texas
Television producers from Virginia
Waldorf school alumni
Washington-Liberty High School alumni