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Sandra Bullock’s Most Famous Roles: Your Complete Guide to Movies Like ‘Speed,’ ‘Bird Box’ and More

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Sep 16, 2022 2:09 pm·

By Ed Gross

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Heart is at the center of each movie Sandra Bullock makes! With films like Speed, While You Were Sleeping, Ocean’s 8 and Bird Box, it’s easy to see why she has won countless awards and has been widely regarded as one of the most dynamic stars in Hollywood. Her career has been full of incredible film roles and iconic portrayals.

Not only has the superstar garnered more than 50 acting credits, but she has also ventured into producing and directing, as well. She has produced several of her own films under her own company, Fortis Films, including Miss Congeniality, All About Steve and The Lost City.

While building her amazing resume, Sandra has gotten to work with so many of Hollywood’s leading men. The Oscar winner has shared the screen with Keanu Reeves, Hugh Grant, Tom Hanks and George Clooney among others. And everyone she meets falls in love with her — just as audiences do each time she graces the silver screen.

After meeting Keanu on the set of 1994’s Speed, Sandra developed a friendship with the action film star. The pair even admitted to having mutual crushes on each other in the past.

“Keanu’s a guy who, I feel like, is friends with every woman he’s ever dated,” Sandra told Esquire in November 2021. “I don’t think there’s anyone who has something horrible to say about him. So maybe we could have survived. I don’t know. But we didn’t have to survive anything. We just get to grow up together on parallel roads and tip our hats and meet for a dinner and try to work together.”

The brunette beauty went on to say that she is “in awe” of Keanu and how great of a person he is. While the pair never pursued things romantically, Sandra did end up finding love again after her divorce from Jesse James in 2010. She met photographer Bryan Randall in 2015 and the pair have been happily in love ever since.

The lovebirds are proud parents to her two children, Louis and Laila, whom she welcomed via adoption in 2010 and 2015, respectively. Family has always been Sandra’s biggest priority. She revealed that she planned on stepping back from the spotlight to focus on spending time with her little ones in March 2022.

“I’m not retiring, just going to not spend time in front of the camera for a while,” she told People at the time. “I have beautiful babies. I’d rather look at them.”

Keep scrolling to see a guide to Sandra’s best movie roles.

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‘Hangmen’ (1987)

Lisa Edwards (Sandra) finds herself in the crosshairs of a conspiracy involving her friend Danny (Keith Bogart) and a terror team that has inserted itself undercover within the CIA.

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‘A Fool and His Money’ (1989)

A former advertising executive (Jonathan Penner as Morris Codman) is watching TV when he receives a message from God telling him to start his own religion, one devoted to selfishness rather than selflessness. It falls to his girlfriend Debby Cosgrove (Sandra) to help him see the error of his ways.

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‘Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman’ (1989 TV Movie)

A second reunion movie from the popular ’70s TV series starring Lee Majors as Steve Austin and Lindsay Wagner as Jaime Sommers, but with the added twist that Sandra’s Kate Mason, who has been wheelchair-bound since the age of six, is being given a new lease on life thanks to bionics. The idea was that Kate would be spun off into her own series, which didn’t happen. (Thankfully it didn’t — what would a continuing series have done to Sandra’s career?).

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‘The Preppie Murder’ (1989 TV Movie)

Sandra has a supporting role in this TV movie based on the true story of Robert Chambers (William Baldwin), who claims to have killed Jennifer Levin (Lara Flynn Boyle) during “rough sex.”

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‘Who Shot Patakango?’ (1989)

Set in the 1950s, the focus is on Brooklyn teen David Edwin Knight (Bic Bickham), who takes his school gang to Greenwich Village. There he meets college student Devlin Moran (Sandra), who, needless to say, has a profound impact on his life.

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‘Lucky Chances’ (1990 TV Miniseries)

Based on the Jackie Collins novels Chances and Lucky, Sandra is in the supporting role of Maria Santangelo. The plot is officially described as follows: “Devastatingly handsome Gino Santangelo parleys illegal profits and illicit affairs into a Las Vegas gambling empire. Soon Gino infiltrates the seductive, power-mad worlds of Hollywood and Washington, courting beautiful actresses and blackmailing ambitious politicians. The strained relationship between Gino and his stunningly beautiful, rebellious daughter Lucky finally erupts into a dangerous power struggle. Gino flees America avoiding a criminal investigation initiated by his illegitimate son — and the cunning Lucky seizes power. Now father and daughter must choose between fighting each other — or the deadly menace which threatens to destroy the Santangelo empire.”

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‘Working Girl’ (1990 TV Series)

Based on the film of the same name, Sandra is cast as Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith played her on the big screen), a secretary who, through her personality and drive, quickly finds herself in the position of junior executive. Week to week she has to prove herself as she attempts to move forward in the company. This went on for exactly 12 weeks, only eight of which made it to the air during its original run.

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‘Love Potion No. 9’ (1992)

Thanks to the mystical help of a gypsy, chemist Paul Matthew (Tate Donovan) has a potion for love that actually works. He and coworker Diane Farrow (Sandra) decide to test it on themselves and find that things have changed for them as the awkward duo are suddenly irresistible to the opposite sex. But is it possible that they actually have the strongest feelings for each other? What do you think?

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‘The Vanishing’ (1993)

This is a creepy one. Jeff Bridges plays a chemistry teacher who has a long-festering fantasy of abducting a woman. He finally gets the chance when he comes upon the defenseless Diane (Sandra), and from there takes great pleasure in watching her boyfriend, Jeff (Kiefer Sutherland), desperately try and find her.

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‘When the Party’s Over’ (1993)

Four L.A. friends share a house as they attempt to find love and happiness, which tends to lead each of them down the wrong paths. Sandra plays Amanda, an artist trying to get in on the gallery scene.

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‘The Thing Called Love’ (1993)

A group of people attempt to break into the world of country music, seeking stardom and romance. Besides Sandra, the cast includes River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis and Dermot Mulroney. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show).

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‘Demolition Man’ (1993)

Sylvester Stallone is cop John Spartan who, having been found guilty of murder (which he was, in fact, innocent of), was placed in suspended animation. In the non-violent future, he’s awakened and given the assignment to hunt down a psychopath (Wesley Snipes) from his own time, who has awakened and is running amok. Sandra plays future police officer Lenina Huxley, who is obsessed with the past and finds herself drawn to Spartan, who she’s partnered with. Really great chemistry between her and Stallone.

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‘Fire on the Amazon’ (1993)

Sandra is environmental activist Alyssa Rothman, who finds herself working with photojournalist R.J. to investigate and solve a murder that has taken place in the Amazon.

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‘Wrestling Ernest Hemingway’ (1993)

At this point, Sandra is still in supporting position, playing a young waitress who is flirted with by Robert Duvall’s Walter, described as a “dignified former barber.” But the focus of this is pretty much on the friendship — despite their differences — between Walter and Richard Harris‘ ex-sea captain, Frank. Shirley MacLaine also stars.

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‘Speed’ (1994)

In the film, former LAPD bomb squad expert Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper), rigs a bus — the passengers of which includes Sandra’s Annie, who plays a very active role in much of the action — with a bomb that will explode if the speed of the vehicle should drop below 50 miles an hour. It falls to LAPD officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) to somehow come up with a way to board that bus and save the passengers without detonating the bomb. What follows is a genuinely suspenseful adventure filled with action, humor and some unbelievable stunt work.

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‘Who Do I Gotta Kill?’ (1994)

This is pretty much the last supporting role for Sandra. The film itself is about a writer (James Lorinz) looking for a story and finds it with the mob, which is a arrangement his uncle (Tony Darrow) makes happen.

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‘While You Were Sleeping’ (1994)

Lucy Eleanor Moderatz (Sandra) is a lonely transit worker who saves her secret crush, Peter (Peter Gallagher), from getting hit by a train, but he bangs his head and is put into a coma. Lucy gets him to the hospital and when his family shows up, she somehow suggests they’re engaged. When the family lovingly takes her to their home, she is enjoying being a part of a family like this, though unsure how she’s going to handle things when Peter wakes up. Complicating matters: she develops feelings for his brother, Jack (Bill Pullman). The Golden Globes nominated Sandra for the first time thanks to this gig.

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‘The Net’ (1995)

A computer programmer (Sandra) inadvertently takes possession of a disc that puts her in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens her life and that of those around her.

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‘Two If By Sea’ (1996)

Sandra and Dennis Leary are, respectively, Roz and Frank O’Brien, a pair of art thieves who are hired to steal a Matisse painting. While eluding the police doesn’t turn out to be difficult, as they wait for the sale to go through things begin going south. Quickly.

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‘A Time to Kill’ (1996)

Lawyer Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) and his assistant, Ellen Roark (Sandra), take on a Mississippi case involving a black man who has been accused of murdering the two white men who allegedly raped his 10-year daughter.

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‘In Love and War’ (1996)

During World War I, Ernest Hemingway (Chris O’Donnell) is seriously injured and at risk of losing his leg. He’s cared for by Austrian nurse Agnes von Kuroswky (Sandra), who he begins to fall in love with, though she’s not sure she can return his feelings.

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‘Speed 2: Cruise Control’ (1997)

The sequel Keanu refused to do (and, as it turns out, for good reason). It’s another terrorist plot, this one involving the take over of a cruise ship and the chaos that ensues. Sandra reprises her role of Annie Porter. Jason Patric attempts to take Keanu’s place.

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‘Hope Floats’ (1998)

Sandra is Birdee Calvert, whose marriage falls apart, but another man (Harry Connick Jr.) comes back into her life and she is torn by her feelings and the fact that her daughter does not want him there.

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‘Practical Magic’ (1998)

Nicole Kidman and Sandra play sisters who just so happen to be witches. Together they have to go up against a close-minded town as well as a curse that could prevent either one of them from finding love.

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‘Forces of Nature’ (1999)

We’re talking romantic chaos when an engaged man (Ben Affleck) finds himself in the company of another women (that would be Sandra) following the accident his plane suffers upon take-off. Suddenly his life and his feelings are thrown upside down.

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‘Gun Shy’ (2000)

Sandra’s back in nurse’s uniform again, this time as one named Judy who is trying to help Liam Neeson‘s DEA agent — a superstar in the organization — who seems to have lost his nerve and cannot figure out why.

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’28 Days’ (2000)

A true tour de force for Sandra, who plays Gwen Cummings, a city newspaper columnist whose life is falling apart due to alcohol, so she finally checks into rehab. There is no guarantee she’ll be able to do it.

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‘Miss Congeniality’ (2000)

Definitely some lighter fare compared to 28 Days. This time out Sandra is FBI agent Gracie Hart who finds herself going undercover at the Miss United States beauty pageant in an effort to stop terrorists from launching an attack at the event. Look for William Shatner as the event’s emcee. Sandra was recognized with a Golden Globe for this part.

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‘Murder by Numbers’ (2002)

The discovery of a dead woman in a small California town attracts the attention of homicide detective Cassie Mayweather (Sandra) and her partner, Sam Kennedy (Ben Chaplin). Their investigation leads to a pair of brilliant men (Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt) who have, up until this point, done an extraordinary job of covering their tracks.

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‘Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood’ (2002)

Sidda (Sandra) has gone through years of tension with her mother, but some of that begins to dissipate when she finds herself in receipt of a scrapbook. Within it is a visual story of her mother and the off-the-wall experiences she had with her childhood friends, collectively known as the “Ya-Yas.”

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‘Two Weeks Notice’ (2002)

Environmental lawyer Lucy Keaton (Sandra) has had enough of her boss, billionaire George Wade (Hugh) taking her for granted and depending on her for everything, whether personal or professional. She quits working for him and finds her own replacement but, as her time with him is almost up, she finds herself growing jealous the woman who has replaced her.

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‘Crash’ (2004)

Set in the aftermath of 9/11, the locale is L.A. as a number of different lives become intertwined with each other, exploring, as the official synopsis notes, “stories about race, class, family and gender.” Sandra plays the prejudiced wife of a district attorney (Brendan Fraser). This film won the Oscar for Best Picture.

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‘Loverboy’ (2005)

Sandra is in a supporting role in this story about a mother (Kyra Sedgwick), neglected as a child, who simply can’t handle the fact that her son is growing independent of her, and she starts to lose her mind as a result.

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‘Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous’ (2005)

This time Sandra’s Gracie Hart has to go undercover in Las Vegas when the returning Stan Fields and Cheryl Frasier (Shatner again with Heather Burns from the original as well) are kidnapped.

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‘The Lake House’ (2006)

Fans had been wanting to see Sandra and Keanu together on screen again, and they get their chance in this romantic drama. He plays an architect who begins exchanging letters with the doctor (Sandra) who lived in his lakeside house two years earlier. Somehow their communications are traveling through time and as they start to fall in love, the question becomes whether or not they’ll actually be able to meet.

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‘Infamous’ (2006)

Definitely a unique one: Sandra is Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird author childhood friends of author Truman Capote (Toby Jones), who has returned to Kansas and begins communicating with convicted killer Perry Smith (Daniel Craig). These communications will eventually lead Truman to write In Cold Blood.

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‘Premonition’ (2007)

A mystery unfolds as Linda Hanson (Sandra), who is suffering from depression, is told that her husband (Julian McMahon) had died in a car accident the previous day. But when she awakens the following morning, he’s very much alive. However, the next day she finds that he’s dead. Can she change what’s happened? That is the question that begins to haunt her.

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‘The Proposal’ (2009)

Canadian book editor Margaret Tate (Sandra) is in danger of being deported, so she manufactures a story about being engaged to her assistant (played by Ryan Reynolds). He agrees to go along with the charade if she’s willing to join him in a visit with his family in Alaska. What could possibly go wrong? This part even snagged Sandra a Golden Globe nomination.

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‘All About Steve’ (2009)

Following a successful blind date with a TV news cameraman (Bradley Cooper), crossword puzzle creator Mary Horowitz (Sandra) grows determined to prove they belong together by following him around the country. Can you say “stalker”?

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‘The Blind Side’ (2009)

Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy (Sandra and Tim McGraw) take in homeless black teen Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), eventually becoming his legal guardians. With their love and support he begins to meet his potential as both a student and a football player. Sandra won the Oscar for Best Actress for this role — as well as a Golden Globe.

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‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’ (2011)

After his father (Tom Hanks) dies in the attack on the World Trade Center, a 9-year-old boy continues the tradition begun by his father of seeking out mysteries. Armed with a key that belongs to a lock in New York City, he begins his journey. Sandra plays his mother.

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‘The Heat’ (2013)

Sandra is a methodical — some would say uptight — FBI special agent who finds herself partnered with her exact opposite in the form of a Boston cop played by Melissa McCarthy. Somehow they have to figure out how to work together to stop a drug lord.

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‘Gravity’ (2013)

An astronaut and a medical engineer find themselves stranded in space when their space shuttle is accidentally destroyed. Surviving is the name of the game, even though it all seems impossible. Sandra is the medical engineer, George Clooney the astronaut. This is Sandra’s other Oscar nomination-worthy performance.

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‘Our Brand is Crisis’ (2015)

Sandra and George reunite again — even though this time he’s behind the scenes as producer. “Calamity” Jane Bodine (Sandra) is a retired political consultant hired by an unpopular Bolivian politician to help him win the presidential election. The only thing that draws her out of retirement is the chance to take on her old rival, Billy Bob Thornton‘s Pat Candy, who is working for the opposition.

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‘Ocean’s 8’ (2018)

Serving as both a sequel to and spin-off from George’s Ocean’s trilogy (which went from 11 to 13), this stars Sandra as Debbie Ocean (sister to George’s Danny), and sees her bringing together a gang to pull off a heist at the Met Gala in New York. The cast includes Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Awkwafina and Sarah Paulson.

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‘Bird Box’ (2018)

Taking its cue from A Quiet Place — the Emily Blunt and John Krasinski horror movie where characters weren’t able to speak or make noise out of fear of exposing themselves to creatures lurking around — this Netflix film made things even scarier as it denies its characters of their sight by forcing them to wear blindfolds. It’s a pretty harrowing adventure as her character tries to keep her kids alive.

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