10 Actors Who Brilliantly Reinvented Themselves

For a long time, Sandra Bullock seemed to be stuck in a rut. Her early career saw her star in a variety of genres, from the action Speed (1994) and its questionable sequel (1997), to the courtroom drama A Time to Kill (1996), and the comedy Miss Congeniality (2000). Often dismissed as a sub-par actress, Bullock eventually found her footing with a string of romantic comedies.

Two Weeks Notice (2002), The Lake House (2006) and The Proposal (2009) all made sure that Bullock was a firm rom-com favourite for a large portion of her career. Still, this period saw little to no critical acclaim for her performances, and led to her receiving five Razzie nominations by the time she decided to switch up her image.

In 2009, the actress starred as the lead in the drama film The Blind Side, and proved to be an absolute revelation. Tragic, funny, sweet and completely believable, Bullock took home an Academy Award for her performance and in turn set in motion the next chapter of her career.

Her dramatic work continued with the likes of Gravity (2013), Our Brand is Crisis (2015) and Bird Box (2018), and though she found her way back into more comedic and fun pictures like The Heat (2013) and Ocean's 8 (2018), Bullock has more than earned her place as a completely reinvented actor, destined for more praise and amazing roles.