“It limited us”: Sandra Bullock Had a Surprising Take on Action Movies Even After Keanu Reeves’ Iconic Action Movie Help Her Achieve Hollywood Fame

Sandra Bullock's surprising perspective on action genre. Despite this she appreciated women making strides in Hollywood.

"It limited us": Sandra Bullock Had a Surprising Take on Action Movies Even After Keanu Reeves' Iconic Action Movie Help Her Achieve Hollywood Fame

SUMMARY

  • Sandra Bullock believed that the action genre had limited female actors in the past.
  • Bullock accentuated the progress made by women in the Hollywood industry and praised actresses like Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, and Julianne Moore.
  • In 2002, she acted in the darker action thriller Murder by Numbers, which reminded her of characters from the past that had disappeared in the new millennium.
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Sandra Bullock’s career kicked off with action-thriller movies. Even though she had a career spanning 30 years, which allowed her to thrive in the industry, the actress once thought that the genre had limited female actors.

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Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock

The action genre has done full justice to Sandra Bullock. Still, she has a different take on the genre that has become less accommodating to the female actress. And the irony is it’s the same genre that shot her to fame in the early 90s when she was just stepping into the industry. It was the film in which she starred as Annie Porter, the opposite of Keanu Reeves.

Also read: “They could not support us anymore”: Sandra Bullock’s ‘Gravity’ Was Abandoned by NASA After Director Violated One of Their Cardinal Rules for the Film

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Sandra Bullock’s Surprising Perspective on Action Films Despite Hollywood Fame

Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in Speed
Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves in Speed (1994)

In 2002, Sandra Bullock acted in the darker action thriller Murder by Numbers. She was drawn to the role as it reminded her of characters from the past that had disappeared in the new millennium. Bullock once told the Sydney Morning Herald:

“It makes you wonder what happened between the 40s and 50s – when there were such wonderful parts for women – and the 90s. I think the minute the action genre hit, it completely changed how women were utilized in films. It limited us.”

But the Virginia native accentuated the progress made by women in the Hollywood industry—bypassing these gender limitations.

“But we’re coming back. Certain women have blazed through and made money. Look at Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore – brilliant actresses,” Bullock said. “And Julia Roberts has done an amazing job. She has single-handedly opened the door, in commercial terms, in making women a viable commodity; because, let’s face it, it’s a business. Julia was great: she came in, she wasn’t the typical blonde, she was this strong woman with a great sense of humor and it was exciting. And it helped the rest of us.”

Besides having a surprising perspective on the action genre, she also regrets that particular movie in which she starred back in 1997.

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Also read: “They hired someone else to do it”: Sandra Bullock’s ‘Practical Magic’ Co-Star Regretted Lying to Get a Free Trip to Paris That Made Her Feel Embarrassed for Life

Action Film Sandra Bullock Regrets Starring In

Sandra Bullock in Speed 2 : Cruise Control
Sandra Bullock in Speed 2: Cruise Control

Though Speed gave Bullcok a major boost to her career, its success also warranted the sequel Speed 2: Cruise Control. While the actress’ co-star Keanu Reeves made a wise decision by passing on starring in the sequel, Bullock took a chance.

And unfortunately, Speed 2 proved to be a train wreck. It left a mark on the career of Bird Box‘s star, and she regretted doing the film years later.

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The actress stated that she already knew Speed 2 wouldn’t be a success while she was shooting the feature. In an interview with Too Fab, the 59 years old said:

“I have one no one came around to and I’m still embarrassed I was in. It’s called Speed 2. I’ve been very vocal about it. Makes no sense. Slow boat. Slowly going towards an island.”

In spite of the setback with Speed 2, her career rebounded. This allowed her to maintain her position in the film industry.

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Written by Shreya Jha

Articles Published: 947

Shreya is an Entertainment News Writer at Fandomwire. She has over a year of experience in journalistic writing with a deep knowledge of entertainment world. After completing her bachelor's program in Journalism and Mass Communication, Shreya is now pursuing her master's degree in the same. Apart from being an avid reader, she's a huge Swiftie and K-culture buff. So yeah, when she's not writing, she will be caught listening to Tay or watching "Business Proposal" for the 100th time.