La Libre Belgique (December 95)
Sandra Bullock
will probably never be delighted enough about playing the bus drivers
with Keanu Reeves in " Speed ". Unknown or practically -we
have seen her in " The Vanishing " and " The Thing
Called Love " -, she saw herself propelled in the closed ring of
the stars. Some months later, we find her back as a subway employee
-She must like public transport ! - in love with a beautiful stranger
in " While You Were Sleeping ". A classic romantic comedy
and an unexpected great success in the box-office.
From this time, her carreer is really on the good side, since next to come are " The Net "," Two if by Sea " and " A Time to Kill " by Joel Schumacher. Bullock has now become one of the higher salaries of all the actresses. If we had to name the 1995 actress, it would be without hesitations that we would choose this young lady about whom all America is dreaming, an actress that we have met in London on the occasion of the release of " While You Were Sleeping ".
It's said that you earn 4 to 5 millions $ by film...
I have read, the other day, that I had earned 10 Millions $ to make " The Net ". I just try to imagine me what I could buy with all this money.
Is it "While You Were Sleeping " which has launched this intense activity ?
" Speed
" has opened me a lot of new doors which were not those that I
thought. The doors of the action films. I had to refuse a lot of
propositions because I didn't want to go in this direction. But it
has also given me a chance to be in movies like " While You Were
Sleeping ", and this has opened me all the other doors.
Financial success has a big advantage : it gives me the possibility
to do what I' m doing at this moment : I'm investing a lot of money
in a play that I've produced in a theatrical company, " The
Mailman ";Then I must create my production company. I'd also
like to buy a good car and a house for my parents, so they can also
make something of my success. This sort of thing is very important
for me...
I don't have
any idea of my box - office value : it changes daily. I've just
finished a film ( " Two if by Sea " ) and I've not earned
for it more than before, but I appreciate a lot Denis Leary who has
written a great story that I've wanted to do it for two years. It' s
the most creative moment that I've lived.
How do you explain the incredible success of " While You Were Sleeping "in the USA ?
I haven't any idea about that. It's probably that the film was not what people were waiting for. It's a normal and imperfect glance on our world, the lack of communications, things that turn out differently from what one expects. I think it is come incredibly at the right time. There was so many negativness in the air that when it is released, people needed it.
Do you think that a part of the attraction power of your character, Lucy, comes from her imperfect side ?
Certainly. For a long time, I've made movies in which I became someone who can only exist in movies. Now, movies represent people in a more normal way. I appreciate it because these characters have a meaning for me and I can identify myself with them. Lucy is as imperfect as me, I'm probably more imperfect than her. And, I appreciate it: It doesn't mean that she is less attractive, but simply that she is normal, real.
Is it possible to see you in a next film in a " bad " character ?
Why not ? I'm sure that I must have been very " bad " in my life, but with reasons. These characters are pushed to this point by some reasons, so I could find a reason to perform them. I make a film because it corresponds with my mental state at this time. I filmed " While you were sleeping " two years ago and I could not do it now. The film fited with my life at this time. I could use it , it was practically a therapy. I shall not accept a film if I cannot do it honestly : there are so many brillant actors who, in this case, could do it better than me.
Have you thought about what you would do if you should stopped to play ?
Certainly. When I will have finished with " Kate and Leopold ", I will have played all the character types that I'm able to and also I wish to . What I will do next ? Take one or two sabbatical years to produce movies, to discover another character, or to devote me to others of my passions ? I'm not ready to jump on a movie which is similar to something that I've already played. It is not a good reason to play.
So, there will not be a sequel to " While ... "
I have no intentions to make a sequel. We talk about a " Speed 2 " and we all thought that it must be more original than the first one. But I won't do it. I don't do things for money : I've made " Speed " because it was a character that I had never played. Everybody has the same feeling : Keanu, Jan, nobody has signed for a sequel even though the studio would certainly be very happy on the financial plane if we did that.
© 1995 by La Libre Belgique
Translation by Ernst Niedermoser.