The reason why Sandra Bullock almost quit Hollywood
American actor Sandra Bullock is one of the most recognisable stars in Hollywood, having graced our screens since the late 1980s, working between romantic comedies, thrillers, drama and more. It’s unlikely that you haven’t seen a movie starring the actor, whether that be Miss Congeniality, Gravity or Minions – her filmography has something for everyone.
Bullock’s career breakthrough came in 1994 when she starred alongside Keanu Reeves in Speed. Her performance was widely praised, and she won ‘Best Actress’ at the Saturn Awards, signalling her first taste of success. It wasn’t long before Bullock became one of the industry’s most sought-after stars with roles in movies like the romantic comedy While You Were Sleeping and the commercial hit A Time to Kill.
Through the 2000s, she continued to achieve worldwide stardom, appearing in movies such as Crash, The Proposal and The Blind Side. The 2010s have also seen Bullock star in a string of commercial hits like Ocean’s 8, Birdbox and Bullet Train.
However, despite the actor’s success, she has contemplated quitting the industry due to the rampant sexism in the industry. It is common knowledge that Hollywood is rife with abuse and misogyny. Moreover, with the dominance of the #MeToo movement, many female actors have opened up about their experiences of assault and harassment at the hands of industry executives and producers.
Men have long run Hollywood, with the Academy Awards rarely recognising women outside of specifically gendered categories. For example, in the near-100 year history of the ceremony, only three women have won ‘Best Director’ – and that’s not due to a lack of talent.
From institutional sexism to outright sexual abuse, the film industry certainly isn’t a safe or equal place for women. This is something that Bullock came to realise as she immersed herself more deeply in the world of Hollywood.
Speaking to USA Today, Bullock revealed that she was brought up rather positively, instilled with the belief that she could achieve whatever she wanted. “My mother raised me like, ‘You don’t need to get married, you forge your own path. You make your own money, and be your own person.’ And I literally went out into the world thinking there was no disparity, that everyone was equal, and I can do whatever a man can do.”
However, becoming an actor made her realise otherwise. She explained that there was a “wake-up moment” where she thought, “What is this feeling? Why do I feel so [expletive]?” Oh, my God, I’m being treated this way because I have a vagina.”
Bullock added, “It was hard for me because I walked with blinders on through life and got to where I [felt] like I was less than because I was a woman. And that was a hard pill to swallow. I had a lot of sadness from that. I was like, ‘Wow, maybe I need to step out of here. Maybe I need to do something else for a living.'”
“And that was in the middle of when I was getting work — I didn’t want to be a part of that world where there was that experience.”
