Actress Sandra Bullock received her first Oscar for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy in "The Blind Side." | Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Beneath the glow the stars bestowed upon the tastefully dressed 82nd Academy Awards Sunday, Sandra Bullock had the last laugh.
Bullock was awarded an Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy, a suburban mother who takes in a homeless teenager and future NFL first draft pick, Michael Oher, in The Blindside. Bullock accepted her award with class, pure humility and managed to throw in a few jokes on the side.
Bullock looked stunned and absolutely baffled that she had won the award, hesitantly walking over to fellow nominee Meryl Streep and whispering something to her. The comedian we are used to seeing came out when Bullock reached the stage and said, “Did I really earn this, or did I just wear you all down?”
Bullock showed her emotional vulnerability when talking about the importance of motherhood and her praise for Tuohy and the family that she represented in The Blindside. Showing a moment of humbleness, Bullock congratulated fellow nominees on their accomplishments.
Bullock jokingly told An Education actress Carey Mulligan that her grace and beauty and talent makes her sick. She pronounced Precious star Gabourey Sidibe as “exquisite” and told Helen Mirren from The Last Station that she feels as if they were family.
Bullock also gave a shout-out to the lip-lock she shared with Streep at the Critic’s Choice Awards on Jan. 15 when they tied for best actress, calling Streep her “lover.”
“And Meryl, you know what I think of you, and you are such a good kisser,” Bullock said.
Earlier, Bullock had joked to Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush on the red carpet that if Meryl Streep were to beat her out for the win, she might accidentally trip her.
“If I should trip her by accident, it’s an accident,” she said. “Things happen in long dresses and high heels.”
Streep scolded E! News correspondent Ryan Seacrest for exuding too much excitement when interviewing Bullock on the red carpet.
“You were cheerleading a little, but that’s all right,” she said.
Aside from the playful rivalry between the two actresses, Bullock managed to make her acceptance speech meaningful and unforgettable.
Bullock’s portrayal of Tuohy hasn’t gone unnoticed this past award season, raking in two wins for best actress at the Golden Globes and the Screen Actor Guild Awards. Forest Whitaker, Bullock’s director for the 1998 film Hope Floats, also adorned praise for Bullock.
“The breadth and depth of her heart and what she allows us to share is that intangible … quality that you can never miss in a Sandra Bullock performance,” Whitaker said.
Despite the rumors of an Oscar upset this year, with many saying that Bullock didn’t have a chance against Streep’s cumulative 16 Oscar nominations over the years, Bullock’s gracious approval of the other nominees allowed us to remember that despite several dubitable performances in the past, she was last year’s best actress and can only grow from this achievement.
