On 'Ellen,' Sandra Bullock Recalls Losing Her Father And 2 Dogs Just Weeks Apart

Despite some professional highs, Sandra Bullock says 2018 was a year of deeply personal challenges. 

On Thursday’s episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the “Ocean’s 8” and “Bird Box” star recalled losing her father, John W. Bullock, and two rescue dogs, Poppy and Ruby, within a matter of weeks this fall. 

“Life, I realized, happens whether you schedule it or not,” Bullock said. 

While her father’s health was failing, Bullock said she got a call from the nanny that one of her pets, two-legged dog Ruby, had a stroke. She asked if the dog could be put on life support, but Ruby was suffering and there was nothing to be done. So she decided to fly home. 

“Days later, ‘Your dad’s not doing well,’” Bullock said. “Then the nanny comes into the room. She’s got a look on her face. I’m like, ‘What did the kids do?’ She’s like, ‘I need to speak to you in the bedroom.’ And I was like, ‘OK.’ And she goes, ‘Your other dog has a heart tumor, and she’s going to die in three days.’”  

Though the Oscar winner appeared to be in better spirits with Christmas approaching, she said the three losses took an emotional toll. 

“A week later I’m in the bathtub, crying, and the kids are like, ‘Is Mommy okay?’” she said. “Everyone is like, ‘Just leave Mommy in the bathtub. She’s going to be fine.’” 

Bullock also looked back during the interview on a more positive memory: filming her star-making role in “Speed” nearly 25 years ago. 

After joking about her very dated hairdo in a still from the 1994 thriller, she confessed to having an on-set crush on actor Keanu Reeves at the time. 

The two co-stars never dated, but Bullock believes they might be better off now because of it. 

“I think we’re probably friends for that long because we didn’t,” she said with a wink.