Sandra Bullock and Jesse James first met when Bullock arranged for her ten-year-old godson to meet the Monster Garage star as a Christmas present. The two ended up getting married on July 16, 2005. James was previously married to Janine Lindemulder and the couple had a girl. In November 2009, Bullock helped James fight to gain full custody of his then 5-years-old daughter.
The married couple ended up winning full legal custody of James’ five-year-old daughter. But this was just the beginning of a much larger drama. Sandra’s life was anything but boring.
Bullock Once Owned a Restaurant in Texas
In addition to her production company Fortis Films, in 2006 Bullock opened a French restaurant named Bess Bistro. It was in Austin Texas. Bess Bistro closed its doors on September 20, 2015, after almost 9 years of operating.
In 2009, Sandra decided to open another business named Walton's Fancy and Staple, a brick-walled bakery, deli & flower shop with a rustic-chic interior. The bakery is still operating today and enjoys a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating, with the critics calling it “a deli with Southern charm downtown.”
She Hates Musicals
Sandra Bullock has stated quite a few times that she will never star in a musical. "I won't tackle a musical," she said. "I'm not a singer. People don't want to see me in a musical. I hate them. Hate them. I do know my limits. I don't always heed them, but I know them."
Bullock even went as far as to warn directors not to approach her for musicals because she won’t agree to star in one as the thought of starring in a musical makes her cringe.
The Bullock-James Drama Only Got Worse, Much Worse
In March 2010, several women came forward claiming to have had a history with James during his marriage to Bullock. James eventually responded to the rumors by issuing a public apology to Bullock. He stated, "The vast majority of the allegations reported are untrue and unfounded... beyond that, I will not dignify these private matters with any further public comment."
Shortly after, and despite the so-called 'apology', Bullock filed for divorce. The divorce was finalized a few months later with "conflict of personalities" cited as the reason. James had gone into a recovery center a month before the divorce was finalized to “deal with personal issues” and save his marriage to Bullock, which unfortunately didn’t work out.
Getting Together Her Family
Sandra then fought for legal custody over James’ daughter, Sunny, whom they had won full legal custody over just a year before the divorce scandal. 6-year-old Sunny was stuck between a rock and a hard place, with her Mom being in jail for tax evasion and her Dad in recovery. Everything ended up working out for the best, but this was definitely a very stressful and traumatic time for all sides involved.
The various scandals and dramas that Bullock experienced in 2009 and 2010 didn’t stop the actress from continuing to grow her career and passion. She wiped the tears and brushed off the dust as was ready for her next episode in life.