Sandra Bullock: One of many celebrity cougars!
Sandra Bullock isn't the first woman you would label a cougar, yet her record speaks for itself: over 3/4ths of her publicized relationships have been with younger men, and the youngest of all was with Ryan Gosling, a whopping sixteen years her junior. She was already driving by the time he was born. She'd been nominated for an Emmy before he could vote.
Of course, this youthful streak is nothing new for Sandra. Widely known as a fun, friendly, energetic personality, Sandra is one of the few celebrities paparazzi actually like. She's not afraid to crack jokes about herself and skewer her own problems for the media. She's famous for her gracious interactions with fans, including free hugs and the signing of various body parts. Catch her on a good day and she'll even goof off for tabloid pictures.
Looking at her enthusiastic and energetic personality, is it any wonder she *needs* a younger man to keep up with her?
Born Sandra Annette Bullock in 1964, you might say she was destined to burst through the confines of mediocrity and become a great - if unconventional - star. Her family never ran a 9-to-5 household. Instead, her mother was a German opera singer and her grandfather was literally a rocket scientist. Sandra spent her childhood traveling Germany and the greater part of Europe, singing in children's opera choirs and performing ballet for her mother's theater productions.
As though this wasn't weird enough, she went on to become a cheerleader. (Think about that for a moment. A German-speaking, ballet-dancing former choir girl Sandra Bullock, cheering for the local football team in 70s fashion. Truth really is stranger than fiction.)
At twenty, Sandra moved to New York to pursue an acting career. She made a number of modest, moderately successful films until her big break with Speed (1994), followed by crowd-pleasing favorites such as While You Were Sleeping (1995) and Miss Congeniality (2000). She became a leading lady in her thirties - well past Hollywood prime. But Sandra laughed in the face of convention. In addition to enjoying a string of box offices hits and racking up Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, People magazine named her one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.
Her personal life also skyrocketed with her professional success - she began her own production company, became a spokeswoman for several charities, and opened a pastry shop. Don't think they have anything in common? They do when you're Sandra Bullock and you're worth $85 million dollars. Reality will warp itself for that kind of cash.
In her love life, Sandra enjoyed several significant (and highly public) relationships, including two years with musician Bob Schneider and four with actor Tate Donovan. Her cradle robbing was thanks to a brief affair with Ryan Gosling - and don't think she wasn't aware of how it looked.
"I'd do the sound of a baby crying," says friend and co-star Hugh Grant, "and she'd know who I meant." Hugh only ever called Gosling "The Child."
In 2005, Sandra married (age appropriate, but not nearly as interesting) Jesse James. Their matrimonial bliss lasted for exactly five years, until a flood of women came forward and confessed to sleeping with him while he was still married. Jesse denied it, then released a public apology and went into rehab. Sandra filed for divorce in 2010. The couple had been in the process of adopting a child together, but after showing James to the door, Sandra completed it herself and became a single mom.
Despite the hardship and public embarrassment, there was never any question of Sandra bouncing back. This is a woman who won a Razzie for Worst Actress - and personally accepted the award with a grin. Sandra Bullock weathered the infidelity scandal and moved on with her life, making more movies and raising her baby boy. She won her first Academy Award for her role in The Blind Side, which was both a critical success and one of the highest grossing sports dramas of all time. She furthered her humanitarian efforts, donating a culmination of over $3 million to various charities and relief efforts.
She's a powerhouse, and she shows no signs of slowing down. She is now over 40, absolutely ancient by Hollywood standards, and yet she's still churning out hits and making headlines. Her films have made over $3 billion worldwide. She has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Forbes consistently ranks her one of the wealthiest women in the world.
Has the fame gone to her head? Not really.
"Fame," Sandra says, "means that when your computer modem is broken, the repair guy comes out to your house a little faster."
Of course, this youthful streak is nothing new for Sandra. Widely known as a fun, friendly, energetic personality, Sandra is one of the few celebrities paparazzi actually like. She's not afraid to crack jokes about herself and skewer her own problems for the media. She's famous for her gracious interactions with fans, including free hugs and the signing of various body parts. Catch her on a good day and she'll even goof off for tabloid pictures.
Looking at her enthusiastic and energetic personality, is it any wonder she *needs* a younger man to keep up with her?
Born Sandra Annette Bullock in 1964, you might say she was destined to burst through the confines of mediocrity and become a great - if unconventional - star. Her family never ran a 9-to-5 household. Instead, her mother was a German opera singer and her grandfather was literally a rocket scientist. Sandra spent her childhood traveling Germany and the greater part of Europe, singing in children's opera choirs and performing ballet for her mother's theater productions.
As though this wasn't weird enough, she went on to become a cheerleader. (Think about that for a moment. A German-speaking, ballet-dancing former choir girl Sandra Bullock, cheering for the local football team in 70s fashion. Truth really is stranger than fiction.)
At twenty, Sandra moved to New York to pursue an acting career. She made a number of modest, moderately successful films until her big break with Speed (1994), followed by crowd-pleasing favorites such as While You Were Sleeping (1995) and Miss Congeniality (2000). She became a leading lady in her thirties - well past Hollywood prime. But Sandra laughed in the face of convention. In addition to enjoying a string of box offices hits and racking up Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, People magazine named her one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.
Her personal life also skyrocketed with her professional success - she began her own production company, became a spokeswoman for several charities, and opened a pastry shop. Don't think they have anything in common? They do when you're Sandra Bullock and you're worth $85 million dollars. Reality will warp itself for that kind of cash.
In her love life, Sandra enjoyed several significant (and highly public) relationships, including two years with musician Bob Schneider and four with actor Tate Donovan. Her cradle robbing was thanks to a brief affair with Ryan Gosling - and don't think she wasn't aware of how it looked.
"I'd do the sound of a baby crying," says friend and co-star Hugh Grant, "and she'd know who I meant." Hugh only ever called Gosling "The Child."
In 2005, Sandra married (age appropriate, but not nearly as interesting) Jesse James. Their matrimonial bliss lasted for exactly five years, until a flood of women came forward and confessed to sleeping with him while he was still married. Jesse denied it, then released a public apology and went into rehab. Sandra filed for divorce in 2010. The couple had been in the process of adopting a child together, but after showing James to the door, Sandra completed it herself and became a single mom.
Despite the hardship and public embarrassment, there was never any question of Sandra bouncing back. This is a woman who won a Razzie for Worst Actress - and personally accepted the award with a grin. Sandra Bullock weathered the infidelity scandal and moved on with her life, making more movies and raising her baby boy. She won her first Academy Award for her role in The Blind Side, which was both a critical success and one of the highest grossing sports dramas of all time. She furthered her humanitarian efforts, donating a culmination of over $3 million to various charities and relief efforts.
She's a powerhouse, and she shows no signs of slowing down. She is now over 40, absolutely ancient by Hollywood standards, and yet she's still churning out hits and making headlines. Her films have made over $3 billion worldwide. She has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Forbes consistently ranks her one of the wealthiest women in the world.
Has the fame gone to her head? Not really.
"Fame," Sandra says, "means that when your computer modem is broken, the repair guy comes out to your house a little faster."
Happy Hunting!