Sandra Bullock

One of the top-grossing Hollywood actresses of the 1990s, "America's sweetheart" Sandra Bullock rose to fame with roles as the quintessential yet modern-day version of the girl-next-door: smart, capable, witty; one who triumphs in the face of impossible scenarios. Her can-do energy was at the center of her career breakout as Annie, the spunky passenger on a runaway bus in "Speed" (1994), after which her endearing gutsiness and charm made her a romantic comedy favorite in films like "While You Were Sleeping" (1995) and "Forces of Nature" (1999). At her peak, she was so beloved that she gave even Julia Roberts a run for her money as box office queen. To prove her versatility, Bullock regularly detoured into serious dramas like "Infamous" (2006) and the occasional edge-of-your seat thriller like "Premonition" (2007) or the intense space drama "Gravity" (2012). But with the exception of the Academy Award-winning "Crash" (2002) and her Oscar-winning turn in "The Blind Side" (2009), the actress attracted the most fan devotion for sparkling in comedies like "Miss Congeniality" (2002) and "The Heat" (2013), where she lit up the screen with her quirky personality and earthy, approachable beauty. Seemingly impervious to box-office disappointments and only more respected after a scandalous failed marriage, Bullock remained one of the most commercially viable and beloved actresses in American film.