Born in a Virginia suburb of Washington, DC, to a German opera singer and a voice teacher, Sandra Bullock grew up on the road with her parents and younger sister. She often performed in the children's chorus of whatever production her mother was in. That singing talent later came in handy for her role as an aspiring country singer in The Thing Called Love. Her family moved back to the Washington area when she was a teenager. She later enrolled in E. Carolina University in North Carolina, where she studied acting. Shortly afterward she moved to New York to pursue a career on the stage. This led to acting in television programs and then feature films. She gave memorable performances in Demolition Man and Wrestling Ernest Hemingway, but did not achieve the stardom that seemed inevitable for her until her work in the smash hit Speed. She now ranks as one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood.



The Blind Side (2009): $5,000,000
Murder by Numbers (2002): $15,000,000
28 Days (2000): $12,500,000
Hope Floats (1998): $11,000,000
Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997): $11,000,000
In Love and War (1996): $10,500,000
A Time to Kill (1996): $8,000,000
The Net (1995): $250,000
While You Were Sleeping (1995): $1,200,000
Speed (1994/I) (1995): $500,000

Her mother, opera singer Helga Bullock, died in Arlington, VA. [April 4, 2000] Ranked #58 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997] While working on Two If by Sea (1996), discovered she is allergic to horses. Wrote and performed her own song "Heaven Knocking On My Door" in The Thing Called Love (1993). Daughter of a German opera singer and voice teacher, Helga Bullock (1942-2000) and an American voice coach, John W. Bullock (born 1925). Graduated from Washington-Lee H.S. in Arlington, Virginia in 1982. She was a cheerleader. (Shirley MacLaine (who was also a cheerleader) and Warren Beatty also attended this high school). Voted "Best Actress" by viewers of MTV's "The Big Picture" in 1994 and 1995. Voted "Most Likely To Brighten Up Your Day" by her high school class. Her younger sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, broke Sandy's nose with her elbow while opening a garage door when they were kids. Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#27). [1995] Is fluent in German. Owns a home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Appeared in Bob Schneider's video 'Round and Round' (2000). Her favorite perfume is Dune, by Christian Dior. Her younger sister is Gesine Bullock-Prado, a lawyer and Vice-President of Fortis Films, aged 33 (2001). Her favorite time of the day is dusk. 1998: Golden Globes Awards Presenter: "Best Movie Comedy/Musical" Owns a house in Austin, Texas where she filmed some scenes in Miss Congeniality (2000). Uses the ancient Chinese technique of accupuncture as a form of weight loss. Began a relationship with "Monster Garage" (2002) actor Jesse James (December 2003). Has a house on Tybee Island, Georgia. She was originally cast as Rafi in Prime (2005) but two weeks before principal photography, was dropped due to script differences between her and writer/director Ben Younger. Uma Thurman stepped in quickly to replace her. Known for her generous donations, she donated $1 million to the American Red Cross after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Did the same, again donating $1 million to the Red Cross, after the tsunami- disaster in Asia in 2004. She again donated $1 million, this time to Doctors Without Borders, after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. After college, she moved to New York to waitress. Stepmother of Jesse James' children Chandler, Jesse Jr. and Sunny. Was considered for the role of "Harper Lee" in Capote (2005), and later got the role in Infamous (2006). Both films concern Truman Capote's researching and writing of In Cold Blood (1967). Played the love interest of both stars of "Nip/Tuck" (2003). She played the girlfriend of Dylan Walsh's character in The Lake House (2006) and the wife of Julian McMahon's character in Premonition (2007/I). In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated her earnings for the year at $10 million. Has designed special seat-belts so her pet dogs, Ruby and Poppy, can ride safely in her car [April 8, 2009]. Was considered for the role of Helen Lyle in Candyman (1992). By starring in The Blind Side (2009) she became the only actress to date to have a film marketed with her name solely above the title (i.e. based on her star power alone, and not a franchise or tentpoll picture) pass the $200 million mark in domestic gross. Introduced to salsa by Robert Duvall. Co-owner, with Jesse James, of "Cisco Burgers" in Long Beach, California. Separated from husband Jesse James following the revelation of his 11-month affair with tattoo model Michelle McGee (15 March 2010). Has directed only one film, the 1998 movie Making Sandwiches (1998) (she also wrote it). Bullock said in a Reader's Digest interview that she directed the film to "educate herself" about directing and came away concluding that while she enjoys producing and acting, she does not have the talent to "lead" a film by being a director. Adopted a one-week-old baby boy, named Louis Bardo Bullock, from New Orleans. Initially began adoption proceedings with husband Jesse James before going on to adopt Louis as a single parent (January 2010). Was in a relationship with A Time to Kill (1996) co-star Matthew McConaughey. Lived in Nuremberg, Germany until the age of 12, where her mother performed at the Staatstheater Nürnberg. Her maternal grandfather was a rocket scientist from Nuremberg, Germany.