The Bullock family made their way back to North America and eventually settled in Washington, D.C. where Sandra attended Washington-Lee High School. She says she never really had a problem fitting in as a child, and she became a cheerleader and performed in various theater productions.
Following graduation in 1982, she attended East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina where she studied acting, however, she dropped out before earning her Bachelor’s Degree.
She Didn't Grow Up in the United States
Bullock was born on July 26, 1964, in her hometown of Arlington, Virginia. Her father, John W. Bullock, served in the United States Army and was also a part-time voice coach, while her mother, Helga Mathilde Meyer, was a professional opera singer. Being an Army brat, the actress lived in various countries throughout Europe with her parents.
She lived in Germany and Austria for 12 years and even spoke German. The aspiring actress studied music and dance from a very young age at the Waldorf School in Nuremberg.
Her First Time on Stage Was At 5 Years Old
The lucky Germans were first to get a glimpse of the talented Sandra Bullock. Despite making her first big-screen appearance in the romantic comedy film “Love Potion No. 9”, Sandra's first stage performance was at the Nuremberg opera. Nonetheless, her debut on stage at such a young age gave her the inspiration and passion for acting. She would since appear on a regular basis at the Staatstheater Nürnberg.
Bullock has a younger sister. Her name is Gesine Bullock-Prado, and in 1995 she served as the vice president for Sandra's production company, Fortis Films. Since then Sandra Bullock has not only starred in but also produced some movies, including 'Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous' and 'All About Steve'.
She Dropped-out of College
Not everything was always glamorous for the beautiful Sandra Bullock. In fact, before all the fame and fortune, Sandra used to work as a bartender while living in New York in order to support her acting passion. Using the money she made she enrolled in acting classes where she was mentored by the successful acting teacher Sanford Meisner. Meisner (also known as Sandy), was an American actor and teacher. If the Meisner technique sounds familiar to you, well he's the one responsible for it.
It didn’t take long for Sandra to get her chance in an off-Broadway production. She appeared in several student films, and soon later landed a role in Larry Ketron's play “No Time Flat” which was performed at the WPA Theater in New York. That's when her acting career took off.
Her First Big Acting Gig
She went on to star in several independent films. She impressed Director Alan J. Levi with her performance and he offered her a part in the made-for-television film 'Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman'. Sandra finally got her chance to play the lead role in the NBC television version of the movie 'Working Girl'.
This was just the beginning of her amazing rise to stardom. She landed the role of Lieutenant Lenina Huxley in 1993’s sci-fi action film 'Demolition Man', starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes.