Born on Dec. 5, 1975, Patton was raised in Los Angeles, CA, the daughter of a schoolteacher mother and lawyer father. She loved playing make-believe as a child, and parlayed that and her passion for movies into her training at the Hamilton High School Academy of Music, a performing arts high school, where she performed in school productions. After attending the University of Southern California's summer film program between her junior and senior years of high school, Patton began to make short films. This led to a spot on the PBS series "The Ride," which followed four young filmmakers across the country as they documented young life in America. After some time at the University of California, Berkeley, Patton decided to pursue her love of filmmaking at the University of Southern California's prestigious film program, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1997.
Like many recent film school grads, Patton got her foot in the door with work as a production assistant. She began to climb the ladder on the short-lived "The Howie Mandel Show" (syndicated, 1998-99), the Freddie Prinze, Jr. comedy "Boys and Girls" (ABC, 2000), and the Discovery Health Network's "Medical Diaries" (2000-02). The diligent worker advanced to the role of segment producer and worked on the series for two years until its cancellation in 2002. But despite being on the road to success behind the scenes, Patton could not quite let go of performing. In her down time, she began studying with an acting coach. In 2003, Patton landed some major exposure when she appeared naked on the cover of R&B singer Robin Thicke's album, A Beautiful World. The pair had been dating since they were teenagers, and married in 2005. That same year, Patton made her film debut with a small supporting role in the hit romantic comedy, "Hitch" starring Will Smith and Eva Mendes, and had another small part in the lesser-seen independent drama, "London" (2005).
Patton landed a regular series role as a detective on the Fox crime drama, "Murder Book" (2005), but that series proved short-lived as well. The ambitious actress rebounded with the leading role of a sultry, mysterious nightclub singer in the prohibition-era musical, "Idlewild" (2006). Though the role required Patton to sing (her vocals were dubbed by a professional singer), her charisma impressed the filmmakers, and she held her own opposite seasoned stage performers Andre Benjamin and Big Boi of the group Outkast. Fresh off that success, Patton went on to earn a Best Breakthrough Performance award from the Black Reel Awards for her prominent role as a young woman in peril opposite Denzel Washington in the Tony Scott thriller, "Déjà Vu" (2006). Patton's amazingly fast journey to the Hollywood inner sanctum continued when she was cast in the female lead opposite Kevin Costner in the improbable political comedy "Swing Vote" (2008), in which she played an ambitious television news reporter following the story of a single father whose vote will determine the next president of the United States.
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton
Paula Patton, Talk2SV, Sandra Varner
Paula Patton on Ellen DeGeneres Show November 12 2009
Sandra Bullock was born in a Virginia suburb of Washington, DC, to a German opera singer and a voice teacher. She grew up on the road with her parents and younger sister. She often performed in the children's chorus of whatever production her mother was in. That singing talent later came in handy for her role as an aspiring country singer in The Thing Called Love (1993). Her family moved back to the Washington area when she was a teenager. She later enrolled in East Carolina University in North Carolina, where she studied acting. Shortly afterward she moved to New York to pursue a career on the stage. This led to acting in television programs and then feature films. She gave memorable performances in Demolition Man (1993) and Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993), but did not achieve the stardom that seemed inevitable for her until her work in the smash hit Speed (1994/I). She now ranks as one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood.
Spouse
Jesse James (16 July 2005 - 28 June 2010) (divorced)
Trivia
Her mother, opera singer Helga Bullock, died in Arlington, VA. [April 4, 2000]
On People (USA) magazine's '50 Most Beautiful' list. [1999]
Ranked #58 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]
Chosen by People (USA) magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world [1996]
While working on Two If by Sea (1996), discovered she is allergic to horses.
She replaced Demi Moore in While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Wrote and performed her own song "Heaven Knocking On My Door" in The Thing Called Love (1993).
Replaced Lori Petty in Demolition Man (1993).
Daughter of a German opera singer and voice teacher, Helga Bullock (1942-2000) and an American voice coach, John W. Bullock (born 1925).
Attended East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.
Graduated from Washington-Lee H.S. in Arlington, Virginia in 1982. She was a cheerleader. (Shirley MacLaine (who was also a cheerleader) and Warren Beatty also attended this high school).
Voted best actress by the readers of the "US Magazine" in 1995.
Voted "Best Actress" by viewers of MTV's "The Big Picture" in 1994 and 1995.
Friends with Samantha Mathis.
Voted "Most Likely To Brighten Up Your Day" by her high school class.
Received the scar on her head when she fell into a lake and cut her head on a rock.
Her younger sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, broke Sandy's nose with her elbow while opening a garage door when they were kids.
Spent time at a Rehabilitation Clinic to research her role in 28 Days (2000).
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#27). [1995]
Was considered for the lead in Runaway Bride (1999).
Is fluent in German.
Was engaged to Tate Donovan.
Owns a home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Born at 3:15 AM.
Appeared in Bob Schneider's video 'Round and Round' (2000).
While filming 28 Days (2000), in New York, she stayed in former co-star Dennis Hopper's apartment.
Her favorite perfume is Dune, by Christian Dior.
Replaced Nancy McKeon in the sitcom "Working Girl" (1990).
Her younger sister is Gesine Bullock-Prado, a lawyer and Vice-President of Fortis Films, aged 33 (2001).
Studied ballet when she was a child.
Her favorite time of the day is dusk.
Loves horses but is extremely allergic to them.
1998: Golden Globes Awards Presenter: "Best Movie Comedy/Musical"
Her favorite drinks are beer (Heineken and Rolling Rock) and tequila.
Owns a house in Austin, Texas where she filmed some scenes in Miss Congeniality (2000).
Uses the ancient Chinese technique of accupuncture as a form of weight loss.
Is from the same Metro Area as Martin Lawrence, Dave Chappelle, Mya, Regina Hall, Alan Heitz and Dwayne Winstead.
Began a relationship with "Monster Garage" (2002) actor Jesse James (December 2003).
Was considered for the role of Lois Lane in a proposed relaunch of the Superman franchise by Warner Brothers and was also considered for the role of Wonder Woman in a film adaptation that was never made.
Has a house on Tybee Island, Georgia.
Sister-in-law of Raymond Prado.
She was originally cast as Rafi in Prime (2005) but two weeks before principal photography, was dropped due to script differences between her and writer/director Ben Younger. Uma Thurman stepped in quickly to replace her.
Shares a birthday with Kevin Spacey, Kate Beckinsale and Jeremy Piven.
Known for her generous donations, she donated $1 million to the American Red Cross after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Did the same, again donating $1 million to the Red Cross, after the tsunami- disaster in Asia in 2004. She again donated $1 million, this time to Doctors Without Borders, after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
At 40, she was voted sexiest female celebrity in a 'Naughty Forties' poll conducted for UK television station FX.
After college, she moved to New York to waitress.
Ranked #18 on Tropopkin's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100]
Stepmother of Jesse James' children Chandler, Jesse Jr. and Sunny.
Married actor Jesse James in a sunset ceremony on a ranch outside Santa Barbara, California. They celebrated with several hundred guests including Jamie Lee Curtis, Hugh Grant, Keanu Reeves, William Shatner, Regina King and some member of the Hell's Angels.. [16 July 2005]
Was considered for the role of "Harper Lee" in Capote (2005), and later got the role in Infamous (2006). Both films concern Truman Capote's researching and writing of In Cold Blood (1967).
Often said to be one of the last actors to have studied with the great teacher Sanford Meisner, who trained Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton and Joanne Woodward at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Sandra most likely did not work with the great man himself but with a number of actors who did: Ron Stetson, Richard Pinter and Dan Biehn, the latter taught her at East Carolina University.
Played the love interest of both stars of "Nip/Tuck" (2003). She played the girlfriend of Dylan Walsh's character in The Lake House (2006) and the wife of Julian McMahon's character in Premonition (2007/I).
Named Empire Magazines #66 in the list of 100 Sexiest Stars (2007).
In 2007, Forbes Magazine estimated her earnings for the year at $10 million.
Sandra and her husband, Jesse James, were unhurt after a head-on crash with a drunken driver in Massachusetts on April 18, 2008. Both vehicles were totaled but no one was hurt.
Has designed special seat-belts so her pet dogs, Ruby and Poppy, can ride safely in her car [April 8, 2009].
Hates musicals and vows to never participate in one.
Was considered for the role of Helen Lyle in Candyman (1992).
Was bullied in school, as a kid, for wearing frumpy clothes bought in Germany.
By starring in The Blind Side (2009) she became the only actress to date to have a film marketed with her name solely above the title (i.e. based on her star power alone, and not a franchise or tentpoll picture) pass the $200 million mark in domestic gross.
Is one of four actresses to win both, the Oscar for Best Actress and the Razzie for Worst Actress, along with Halle Berry, Faye Dunaway and Liza Minnelli. Bullock is the only one to be nominated for and win both awards in the same year (for The Blind Side (2009) and All About Steve (2009)). She was presented with the awards within two days in 2010.
Introduced to salsa by Robert Duvall.
Was jokingly thrown in a pool by George Clooney and Tom Cruise at Joel Schumacher's birthday party in 2000. She talked to InStyle magazine about this story in 2005 and also mentioned it in her Oscar acceptance speech in 2010.
Co-owner, with Jesse James, of "Cisco Burgers" in Long Beach, California.
Was in a relationship with Ryan Gosling, who was more than 16 years her junior (May 2002-July 2003).
Separated from husband Jesse James following the revelation of his 11-month affair with tattoo model Michelle McGee (15 March 2010).
She is one of 14 actors to win the Academy Award for playing a real-life person who was still alive on the evening of the award ceremony for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side (2009).
Has directed only one film, the 1998 movie Making Sandwiches (1998) (she also wrote it). Bullock said in a Reader's Digest interview that she directed the film to "educate herself" about directing and came away concluding that while she enjoys producing and acting, she does not have the talent to "lead" a film by being a director.
Canceled her appearances at the British and German movie premiere of The Blind Side (2009) in the wake of model Michelle McGee's claims that she had an affair with Bullock's husband Jesse James while she was working on the set of The Blind Side (2009). After she backed out of the premieres, both events were canceled as a red carpet event. [March 2010]
Revealed in People magazine in April 2010 that she started to adopt a one-week-old baby boy, named Louis Bardo Bullock, from New Orleans in January 2010. Initially began adoption proceedings with husband Jesse James before they split in April 2010 and going on to adopt Louis as a single parent after they divorced.
Merited a place in Time magazine's - The 100 Most Influential People in the World ("Artists" category) - with an homage penned by Betty White. [May 10, 2010]
Was in a relationship with A Time to Kill (1996) co-star Matthew McConaughey.
Lived shortly in Vienna and Salzburg, Austria as a child.
Lived in Nuremberg, Germany until the age of 12, where her mother performed at the Staatstheater Nürnberg.
Was a cheerleader in high school.
Her maternal grandfather was a rocket scientist from Nuremberg, Germany.
Filed for divorce from Jesse James in April 2010.
Received the American Riviera Award at the 2010 Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2010.
Named person of the year for 2010 by People Magazine.
Returned to work twelve months after adopting her son Louis in order to begin filming Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2012).
Universal Pictures wanted to cast Sandra Bullock in the role of Karen Sisco in Out of Sight. However, director Steven Soderbergh decided to cast Jennifer Lopez in the role because he thought that Jennifer and co-star George Clooney had the intense chemistry together needed for the film.
The amazing Salma Hayek was born on September 2, 1966, in the oil boomtown of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. Hayek has freely admitted that she and her brother, Sami, were spoiled rotten by her well-to-do Lebanese-Mexican businessman father and her Mexican-born opera-singing mother. After having seen Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) in a local movie theatre, Salma decided she wanted to become an actress. Her education included a stint at a New Orleans convent school, where she pulled pranks on the nuns by setting their clocks back three hours. She was soon expelled. Only after attending Mexico City's Universidad Iberoamericana did she feel ready to pursue acting seriously.
She soon landed the title role in "Teresa" (1989), a hugely successful soap opera which earned her the star status in her native Mexico. However, anxious to make films and to explore her talent and passion, Hayek left both "Teresa" (1989) and Mexico in 1991. Heartbroken fans spread rumors that she was having a secret affair with Mexico's president and left to escape his wife's wrath.
At long last, Salma made her way to Los Angeles. The 24 year old actress approached Hollywood with naïve enthusiasm, and quickly learned that Latin actresses were, if at all, typecast as the mistress maid or local prostitute. By late 1992, Hayek had landed only bit parts. She appeared on "Street Justice" (1991), "The Sinbad Show" (1993), "Nurses" (1991), and as a sexy maid on the HBO series "Dream On" (1990). She also had one line in the Allison Anders film Mi vida loca (1993). Feeling under-appreciated by Anglo filmmakers, Hayek vented her frustrations on comedian Paul Rodriguez's late-night Spanish-language talk show in 1992.
Robert Rodriguez and his producer wife Elizabeth Avellan happened to be watching and were immediately smitten with the intelligent, opinionated young woman. He soon gave her her big break--to star opposite Antonio Banderas in the now cult classic Desperado (1995), which put her on Hollywood's map. The moviegoers proved to be as dazzled with Hayek as he had been. After her break, she was cast again by Rodriguez to star in his From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). Although her vampy role opposite George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino was a small one, it was a good credit to her box office name. Hayek's first star billing came later that year with Fools Rush In (1997) opposite "Friends" (1994) actor Matthew Perry. The film was a modest hit, and Hayek continued to rise her star in both commercial and artistic films such as: Breaking Up (1997) with an unknown Russell Crowe; 54 (1998) about the rise and fall of the legendary New York club; Dogma (1999), playing the muse in a somewhat odd comedy co-starring Matt Damon and Chris Rock; In the Time of the Butterflies (2001) (TV), the small artistic film which won Hayek an ALMA award as best actress; and the 1999 summer blockbuster Wild Wild West (1999). Her production company "Ventanarosa" produced the 1999 Mexican feature film No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and selected as Mexico's official Oscar entry for best foreign film.
The new millennium started out quietly around Salma as she was preparing to produce and star in her dream role, that of Frida Kahlo, the legendary Mexican painter whom Salma had been admiring her entire life and whose story she wanted to bring to the big screen ever since her arrival in Hollywood. It finally happened in 2002. Frida (2002), co-produced by Hayek, was a beautifully made film overflowing with passion and enthusiasm, with terrific performances from Salma and Alfred Molina as Kahlo's cheating husband "Diego Rivera". On the side was an entourage of stars including Antonio Banderas, Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Edward Norton and Valeria Golino.
The picture was a hit and was nominated for six Oscars, including best actress for Hayek, who became the first Latin actress to be nominated in the category, and won the awards for make-up and its brilliant original score by Elliot Goldenthal. Hayek established herself as the serious actress that she is and, in the same year, expanded her horizons, directing The Maldonado Miracle (2003) (TV), which was shown at the Sundance Film festival. In 2003, she starred in the final of Rodriguez's "Desperado" trilogy Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), again opposite Banderas, and has just finished After the Sunset (2004) opposite Pierce Brosnan and Ask the Dust (2006) opposite Colin Farrell. Both are scheduled for release in early 2005. In the works are Robert Altman's "Paint" and Bandidas (2006) in which she will star with her friend Penélope Cruz.
