From Novice to Pro: Bullock's Speed Bus Journey

Sandra Bullock's dedication to her role intensified when she was cast in Speed. At a recent special screening and Q&A for the film's 30th anniversary at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, Bullock shared her experiences of driving in the film, revealing that she even obtained a bus driver's license.

She humorously recalled the chaotic filming process: “The fun part was that I was at the helm of the bus, but someone was actually driving it on the roof as I crashed into whatever Jan de Bont decided I should hit that day,” Bullock said. “I did get my Santa Monica bus driver's license. It’s not easy to drive that vehicle, but it was better not knowing what was coming. You just felt the impact.”

When she was cast in this action-packed thriller, Bullock was relatively new to Hollywood. She joked about why de Bont and the team chose her: “They thought if I died in a stunt, it wouldn’t be as big a deal since I wasn’t a major actor at the time. It would’ve read, ‘Actor dies in stunt in a Keanu Reeves movie.’”

Despite the nerves of being the “new kid on the block,” Bullock expressed her excitement about the opportunity, attributing her casting to the support she received from others. She quipped about how other actors had passed on the role, to which de Bont humorously interjected, affirming that he had seen her potential from the start.

The 1994 blockbuster follows Keanu Reeves as Jack Traven, a police officer trying to prevent a city bus filled with passengers, including Bullock’s character Annie, from exploding after it’s rigged with a bomb by the villain Howard Payne, played by Dennis Hopper. This event, part of Beyond Fest, marked the first time de Bont and his lead actors reunited to discuss the film since its premiere.

De Bont praised the chemistry between Bullock and Reeves, stating, “I’ve never been so proud of those two actors. What they did for me was often unnatural to them, yet it turned out unbelievably well. Their relationship was so realistic, capturing all the emotions, laughter, and charm. It was really cool to see them together again.”