Limelight: Bubbling Bullock By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Watching that perky, spunky lass come to the rescue of a speeding bus, over a decade ago, we fell in love. The producers of the action flick were most unhappy with an unknown opposite super star Keanu Reeves. Moreover , she was neither blonde, nor busty, but director Jan de Bont insisted, and a star was born, by the name of Sandra Bullock. With her dynamic, high-spirited energy, she helped save a bus-load of innocents from a maniacal criminal, and literally stole the show, in an all-action movie. The public clamoured for more. Speed (1995) was by no means her first feature. Miss Bullock had appeared in a dozen features or more, since 1987, but no one really noticed, until she sat behind the wheel, on that fated bus. Her next venture was even more endearing, as the lonely ticket-seller on the Chicago tube who falls in love with one of her daily commuters. Her role was meant for Demi Moore , who dropped out over a fee dispute. Bullock stepped in and more than filled those shoes, as the vulnerable Lucy, who saves her Prince Charming from the subway rails. While he is in a coma, his family mistakes her for his fiancée. . Once again, Sandra charmed cast and crew, critics and viewers, and received her first Golden Globe nomination.. The world was her oyster. Touted as the next Julia Roberts, with that open screen persona and that girl-next-door appeal, there was much that she shared with Roberts., not least of which was her bubbling personality and unconventional beauty. However, their backgrounds are vastly different. While Roberts was a natural with her raw talent and sparkling spirit, Bullock was a serious drama student of 'The Method' school of acting. She studied at the Neighbourhood Playhouse under renowned Professor Sanford Meisner., She started her acting to rave reviews on the New York stage. Today she is basking in the glory of two hits this season : The Proposal and The Blind Side, both of which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress; which is a rare occurrence for any actor She also received her first Oscar nomination for The Blind Side, and the Hollywood buzz is that she is the hands down favourite to beat Oscar's perennial winner, Meryl Streep. We shall soon find out come March 17, but whether or not she wins, our charming Sandra will not be disheartened. Her star shines bold and bright in the Hollywood firmament. She has reached a peak of sorts and can command any amount, and producers will only be too willing to grant her every wish. For her role in Miss Congeniality II she received a whopping $14 million, hoisting her up there among Hollywood's upper female echelons Sandra was born on Julyv 26th, 1964, in Arlington Virginia to Helga and John Bullock. Mother Helga was the daughter of a German rocket scientist, trained to be an opera singer. Her parents met in Germany while John Bullock headed the army Postal Exchange for the whole of Europe. Sandra spent much of her childhood with her grandmother and aunt in Salzburg and Nuremberg. There she learned to sing and dance. and speak fluent German. She moved to Arlington with her parents and younger sister, Gesine, at age l0 and attended Washington Lee High School, alma mater of Shirley Maclaine and her younger brother Warren Beatty . With her European background, Bullock was distinctly different. She was often teased at school by her peers for her "ugliness", but the Ugly Duckling soon turned into a swan. Badly hurt by her early abuse, she vowed never to treat another human in such manner. Her overflowing compassion was more than evident, when she donated $1 million to Asian tsunami victims, followed by another million to 9\11 families and most recently yet another million to Haiti . No wonder they call her Miss Sunshine. Many Hollywoodians follow her lead, but Sandra goes about her charitable deeds, quietly, without much fanfare. At High School, she was voted 'Most Likely to Brighten Your Day', How very prophetic!. If you have not caught one or both of her highly successful films this season, you should. Both have scored highly at the box-office and have been nominated for several awards. The Proposal is a romantic comedy pairing Bullock with the charismatic Ryan Reynolds. Together, they make a formidable duo, who play well off each other. Margaret is a hard-driving, New York publisher, suddenly threatened with deportation to her native Canada because her visa had expired. She turns to a frustrated assistant, Andrew and convinces him to marry her. She accompanies him to Sitka Alaska, to celebrate his grandmother's 90th birthday, but the Immigration officer is at their heels. The story may be all too familiar, but the comedy is fresh and vivacious. As for the Oscar nominated The Blind Side i t is based on the best-selling novel by Michael Lewis, who was inspired by a true story that took place in the deep segregated south. It is a sports movie with emphasis on a black boy's rags- to-riches story, and the love and support he receives from a brave, loving Southern woman. The movie revolves around Sandra's character, and according to critics, " she does not disappoint". She has learned to dig deep, to reveal more awareness and abilty in her 22 year- old career. Her films have grossed $1.7 billion in the US, and $3.1 billion world-wide, placing her among the 100 top stars at the box-office. Sandra is described by friends as open, generous and down to earth. While we were laughing at Miss Congeniality, she was honing her craft to emerge now as an Oscar nominee. She owns her own production Company, Fortis, run by her father and sister. She is married. to a cowboy carpenter, hangs around her homes in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Austin, Texas. She admits she does not enjoy the life of a celebrity. "l'm a horrible celebrity. If I go out in public, I dress like a pig.".Sandra's level of energy, humour and self-abadonment, has delighted her peers and her fans. She is adept at comedies as well as dramas and surprises us at every turn. She is a braveheart, who has derived a legitimate victory after years of hard work, and deserves to win that golden boy, they call Oscar.. "If A is a success in life, then A=x plus y plus z - work is x, y is play and z is keeping your mouth shut" Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
