Sandra Bullock Confirms What We Suspected All Along About Her Relationship With Keanu Reeves
Back in 1994, actors Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves met for the first time while working together on the film "Speed." Although Bullock and Reeves had both starred in projects prior, they were still gaining traction as up-and-coming Hollywood stars. In the film, their characters found themselves trapped on a bus rigged to explode. Reeves starred as Jack, the man tasked with saving the innocent passengers, and Bullock played Annie, the vehicle's unexpected driver. However, the two almost never met, as other actors were considered for both of their roles, as the movie's screenwriter, Graham Yost, told Entertainment Weekly in 2014.
"We went to the Toms first — you know, you go to Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks — and I think Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, who were going to do 'Money Train,'" Yost said. "We went down many different avenues."
Because of the on-screen chemistry between Bullock and Reeves, audiences were left wondering for years if their acting relationship ever carried over behind-the-scenes. Although it's been nearly three decades, Bullock has finally opened up about what really happened between them.
Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves were just friends
During a new profile of Keanu Reeves for Esquire, his former "Speed" co-star, Sandra Bullock, also makes an appearance to speak to the actor's kind character. In addition to praising him, she also sets the record straight about what their relationship was in the '90s, with some quotes that made the rounds online.
"Keanu's a guy who, I feel like, is friends with every woman he's ever dated," Bullock said. "I don't think there's anyone who has something horrible to say about him. So maybe we could have survived. I don't know," she added, noting that they just remained friends.
"When I first met him, I would spend as much time as I could filling a silence, just to feel comfortable," Bullock continued. "And the more I jibber-jabbered on, the quieter he would get. And I thought, I don't understand what's happening! He's looking at me with eyes of confusion. He's quiet. Did I say something to offend him? And then a day or two later, he would arrive with a note or a little package, saying, 'I thought about what you said.' And he would have his response." The two eventually played love interests once again, this time in 2006's romantic drama "The Lake House." Unfortunately for fans, however, their on-screen chemistry seemingly never made the jump to real life.
Sandra Bullock admitted to crushing on Keanu Reeves
In a 2018 appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," DeGeneres interviewed Sandra Bullock and discussed the upcoming 25th anniversary of "Speed." The 1994 film, which Bullock noted helped launch her career, saw the actor star alongside Keanu Reeves. And while fans clamored for their friendship to burgeon into real-life romance, Bullock said it never happened, but she also made an interesting revelation as well.
While not directly coming out and saying it, Bullock revealed she crushed on Reeves during their time on the "Speed" set. "I think about how sweet Keanu Reeves was, and how handsome he was," Bullock gushed. "It was hard for me to like, really be serious. Like he would look at me and I'd be like [giggling]," she further continued.
The "Bird Box" star went on to note that her dress kept flying up during the filming, and Reeves was respectful enough to keep her dress down — a move she still appreciates to this day. When asked if they ever dated, Bullock laughingly stated, "Never dated him. There's just something about me that I guess he didn't like."
Wonder if she knows he's technically married to Winona Ryder...
The feelings were reciprocated on Keanu Reeves' end
Keanu Reeves seems like he's really good at playing hard-to-get. It's also safe to assume that there are boatloads of women out there who can call the "Matrix" star "the one who got away," like Sandra Bullock. The real downer in Bullock's case, however, is that Reeves also had a crush on her.
It seems like Ellen DeGeneres had an agenda here. In a 2019 appearance on her talk show, Reeves dropped the bombshell revelation of his crush after Ellen showed him Bullock's 2018 appearance, where his "Speed" co-star endlessly gushed over him. When asked if he knew about Bullock's crush on him, he shook his head "no" and proceeded to give the most smooth, Reeves-like answer ever.
"She obviously didn't know I had a crush on her, either," Reeves revealed to a raucous ovation from the crowd. Ellen noted that she "can't believe you both had crushes on each other," but Reeves revealed it was due to his professionalism. "We were working!" Reeves clapped back. He did go on to note that Bullock is "a wonderful person" and "a wonderful actress."