One of many actresses who vied for the title of America's Sweetheart in the '90s, this spunky brunette distinguished herself with an adorably goofy persona and a girl-next-door beauty. After working onstage, Bullock started to land film and TV parts in the late '80s. She came to prominence in 1993 with a number of flashy movie roles, including an aspiring country singer in
The Thing Called Love (in which she performed her own song "Heaven Knocking on My Door") and a perky police officer in the big-budget sci-fi flick
Demolition Man. The next year, she was the female lead in the blockbuster
Speed. However, it was her performance as a lovelorn token-booth clerk in the surprise 1995 hit
While You Were Sleeping that turned her into a romantic comedy queen (if never a critical darling). In an attempt to shake that image, Bullock made some missteps (
Two if by Sea,
Practical Magic, the underrated
28 Days). And even when she started producing her own vehicles, she quickly learned that the public was more interested in seeing her brandish a gun in a fluffy comedy (
Miss Congeniality) than in a gritty thriller (
Murder by Numbers). So she returned to her comfort zone (
Two Weeks Notice,
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous) and took on the occasional dramatic supporting role (
Crash). Off screen, the winsome actress had a string of high-profiles boyfriends (often her costars) including Matthew McConaughey (
A Time to Kill), Tate Donovan (
Love Potion No. 9) and Ryan Gosling (
Murder by Numbers) before surprising fans by marrying tattooed motorcycle maven and
Monster Garage star Jesse James in 2005.
Sandra Bullock Fast Facts:
- Her mother was a German opera singer; her father an American voice coach.
- As a child, used to perform onstage as an extra with her mother.
- Lived in Vienna, Austria; Nuremburg, Germany; and Arlington, VA, when she was younger.
- Fluent in German.
- In 1997, wrote, produced, directed and co-starred in (opposite then boyfriend, Matthew McConaughey) a short film called Making Sandwiches.
- Owned homes in Jackson Hole, WY, Tybee Island, GA, and Austin, TX.
- Started her own film company, Fortis Films. Her sister Gesine is the vice-president.
- Helped turn comedian George Lopez into a star by acting as executive producer of his eponymous sitcom.
- In 2004, was Harvard University's Hasty Puddings Woman of the Year.
- Sandra Bullock Relationships:
- Gesine Bullock-Prado - Sister
- Helga Bullock - Mother
- Jesse James - Husband
- John Bullock - Father
- Tate Donovan - Ex-fiancé
- Sandra Bullock Awards:
- 1996 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 2001 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- 1997 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actress - Winner
- 1996 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actress - Winner
- 2006 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actress - Winner
- 1999 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Motion Picture Actress - Winner
- College:
- Attended East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
