Naming Sandra Bullock the Most Beautiful Person in the World is sort of like naming Tom Hanks “the Nicest Dude in the World.” It’s an obvious choice, and it’s a choice that will give People Magazine very little controversy. The past cover ladies have included Lupita Nyong’o (2014), Gwyneth Paltrow (2013), Beyonce (2012) and Jennifer Lopez (2011). The “most beautiful” does skew towards moms, but to give People Mag some credit, they’ve been doing more diverse lists over the past decade or so. Anyway, part of the agreement when one is named Most Beautiful is an in-depth interview with People. You can read Sandra’s full interview here. She talks mostly about being a mom to son Louis. Some highlights:
When she heard she was ‘Most Beautiful’: She laughed. “No, really. I just said, ‘That’s ridiculous.’ I’ve told no one.”
Beauty in LA: “Real beauty is quiet. Especially in this town, it’s just so hard not to say, ‘Oh, I need to look like that.’ No, be a good person, be a good mom, do a good job with the lunch, let someone cut in front of you who looks like they’re in a bigger hurry. The people I find most beautiful are the ones who aren’t trying.”
Conversations with Louis: “[I’m] listening to him tell me why he was going to marry his girlfriend. But then we were having Sunday dinner, and he said he changed his mind. I just told him, ‘Always love those who want to love you back and are nice to you.’ Then we moved back to Legos and ‘Why are you making me eat broccoli?’ ”
Her workouts with Body By Simone four to five times a week: “I love that it’s not big weights, you move the entire time, it’s a torture chamber of sorts. When I started, I could barely do 20 seconds, and I’m not kidding. I’m crying on the floor, and she’s like, ‘Are you a smoker?’ I was like, ‘I hate you.’ ”
What Louis says about her wrinkles: “I was putting him to bed and told him that even when I’m old and gray and more wrinkly than I am now, I’ll still love him and want to tuck him in. And he asked why I have wrinkles, and I said, ‘Well, I hope some of them are from laughing so much.’ And he touched my face and said, ‘You’re not old, you’re just happy.’ ”
She talks a lot about how she is as a mother, that she maintains the rules but she lets all of Louis’s aunties and uncles spoil him. She also says that she doesn’t want Louis to know she’s an actress because “I want it to be so inconsequential and such a nonissue. I want him to be embarrassed by me like all other parents.”
Let’s see who else made the Most Beautiful list this year – you can see People’s slideshow here. Who made the list? Vanessa Hudgens, Ariana Grande, Gabrielle Union, Laverne Cox, Taraji P. Henson, Gigi Hadid and many more. This list seems sort of… boring? I kind of think Taraji would have been a great cover girl though.
Cover courtesy of People Magazine, photos courtesy of Instagram, WENN.
I thought it would be ScarJo since she has a movie to promote and usually there is a tie in somewhere to the choice. But no way will argue about Sandra Bullock, that is a good choice.
Yup – I was totally thinking Scarlett for the same reason. Plus, to me, right now, no one is more beautiful. I think maybe People wanted to go for someone a little older and mass-appealing? Seems like a weird choice as Sandy has nothing to promote, but I’m certainly not mad at it.
I do think People made obvious efforts to have a rather diverse group of women. Can’t complain about that either.
She’s atractive but not beautiful. As well as the usual suspects, I was very struck in a film this year – maybe Suite Francaise with Kristen Scott Thomas – by one of the actresses who was very unadorned but was gorgeous. Turned out to be margo Robbie. Kate Upton, Scarjo, Charlize, are others who occur. And Lupita of course.
Complete PR move because she was falling off everyone’s radar. Taraji looks stunning in that photo.
+1
Agree.
Agree. I think i am in the minority. I don’t like her nor her acting. I think she is shady as all get out. Besties with Handler and married to Jesse. Sorry I just don’t buy that she didn’t know anything about his character or his habits. Again I know it is not the popular opinion about her I just think she is fake. And I HATED the blind side. I thought it was awful.
+1, evasmom. I don’t hate her but I don’t particularly like her either. Her acting is mediocre and The Blindside is in the top ten most offensive movies I’ve ever seen.
Mmm. I genuinely like her…but I don’t doubt she’s not the sweet bubbly person that she puts out all of the time. I mean – she married Jesse James. Personally – I thought he was a really nice, but relatively sketchy guy for a long time too – but I never saw him personally, so I can only assume she saw the less nice side of him more than the public did.
I’d like to think she’s relatively similar to the PR persona she puts out – maybe a little less ‘golden girl’ and a little bit harder than she wants us to think. But I do enjoy her as one of those ‘likable, but cheesy’ actresses. Mostly, I think because Miss Congeniality came out when I was 10 and I watched it over and over and over. And I loved the idea of a tough female character who wasn’t into all the girly stuff. Not going to lie, I quoted Shatner from that movie the other day at work. But anyway – that’s the thing with celebs. It’s so hard to get a feel for what they’re really like – because even the ones that aren’t actors still are playing a part.
Why is the idea that she might not have REALLY known Jesse that hard to believe? Are you telling me that each and everyone of you has not only NEVER been blindsided (hehehe) by a person, but always has them known and completely figured out? You e never cut off a friend or relative because EVENTUALLY, they turned out not to be who you thought they were? If so, why is she exempt from that experience ? Because she’s “Sandra Bullock”??
I have to agree, Kerry. I no longer like Sandra Bullock ever since I heard she is friends with Handler and Aniston. But, I give her the benefit of the doubt regarding Jesse’s beliefs. Why don’t people think back to those like John Wayne Gacy and BTK/Dennis Rader? They had WIVES and CHILDREN. They led complete whole other secret lives that their family didn’t know about: serial killing, raping etc. Yet their families had no….idea…..at……all. It is indeed possible to be married to someone for even 40 years and still not 100% know them. These two men tricked their wives, their daughters and sons, employers and in Gacy’s case, high ups in the Democratic party. All along, they were raping, torturing and murdering. And burying/dumping bodies all over the place. It IS very possible she didn’t know.
@evasmom
I don’t like her either. She was stellar in Gravity, but I didn’t like absolutely anything else she has done. And she just reads fake to me as well.
@evasmom: You wanne be popular? 😉 I feel similar about her. Her acting isn’t really that special, and as a person, I think she might be close to her character in Miss Congeniality, a touch vulgar at times. I like the movie, by the way. ‘Sweet’ is not the word that comes to mind. Regarding Jesse: when you live with someone for 5 years, you certainly notice things, but I think she didn’t take it too serious, naively trusting him…but we’ll never really know. I’m a bit surprised they choose her, but I don’t mind either.
Agreed on both points, I was very surprised to see that they picked her.
@Kitten….I’m so glad, I’m not the only one who found The Blind Side to be offensive and horrendous!!!! And how Sandra won an Oscar for that OVERACTING is beyond me…..her performance was cringe worthy!
The fact that she was nominated and won was the reason many people taught Jennifer aniston would be nominated for that cake movie there is nothing special about eather woman I wouldn’t be surprise if people mag picked her for next year.
Taraji would have been great, but two people of color in a row would not work for the magazine. Scarlett would have been a good choice as she has had many hits in the last 12 months, has a new film coming out, is a new wife and mom and would have quite a lot to share.
But Bullock is very safe and they seem to want that. They like to fall back on the “America’s Sweetheart” vibe, which is a term I personally despise. I still remember her really working hard for that Oscar, which I thought should have gone to someone else, as I thought her performance was not that great at all, but that is Hollywood and the Oscars. Sometimes campaigns work and sometimes they don’t. Don’t like her, don’t hate her, just really don’t care that much.
Well, duh it’s a PR move. The “most beautiful” and “sexiest man alive” wins are nothing but PR worked out between the actor’s agent and People magazine. That’s just a given.
Yeah, it is. I like Sandy B but am kinda surprised People still does this whole pr thing ..of course most of that mag is just from the agent’s lips. My dentist’s waiting room doesn’t even have it anymore..bad sign
+ whatever number we’re at now. I like Sandra Bullock okay but meh.
Really, everyone? she certainly wasn’t falling off my radar.
She’s lovely, and everyone who works with her always has nice things to say. I’d say this was a solid, non-controversial choice.
+ 1
I love that they chose older women for their list. I also love that Sandra may have had some subtle work done, but still looks like herself.
I wonder if after the Gwenyth debacle they just decided to choose people who are super well liked, to sell more magazines.
The whole thing is silly and pointless, but I do like Sandra and it is nice that the list has diversity, including age.
Agree.
I’m actually surprised by so many people disagreeing with her in this position.
I do think she’s a very beautiful woman, certainly not the “classic”, perfection kind of beauty, but at least she can be picked up on a line up, which is a lot more than I can say for a lot o Hollywood’s starlets these days. Plus… God, what was that body in Gravity? I wanted that. Every bit of that.
And she does seem to be lovely in real life too. Since I don’t have to live with any of them, impressions and second hand stories are all I got, and she comes out good even then. And I love how she talks of Louis.
Taraji looks amazing too.
“You’re not old, you’re just happy.” How sweet. I’m keeping that one.
Louis sounds like such a sweet little boy. I love that she actually parents her child, i.e., broccoli reference.
That was awesome!
Nuh.
I’m just glad Amal Clooney isn’t on the list guess it wasn’t part of the wedding picture deal. I love Sandra she seems more real and is beautiful. I’m glad they chose an older woman who isn’t plastic looking. Taraji very close second out of the others she is a stunner.
As for me, I’m just glad it’s not Kim K😌
That’s funny, I thought the same. I’m actually surprised she’s not on it. As for Sandra, I DO think she had work done (fillers perhaps), but subtle. And I would wish she changed her hair color to less dark, she starts looking hard at times (not on the cover, but on ‘normal’ pics).
Great choice.
I’m all in for any and all Sandra. She is just the best.
+1
+1
Safe. But that’s typical of People magazine.
And while it’s nice to have a woman who is 50 on the cover, her skin is photoshopped to make her look 30.
I agree…for all the people on this thread saying that Sandra doesn’t look like she has had work done…the first thing I thought when I saw that cover was, mmmm, she’s had some work done! Or, People photoshopped her skin to get rid of those “happy” wrinkles….I always like Sandra’s interviews though, she seems so normal (except that period when she was married to the nazi biker, I don’t get that at all)….
I think she’s had as much work as Nicole Kidman but everyone likes Sandra so they pretend like she doesn’t look plastic.
I agree, Beep!
Sandra is beautiful but she does have a movie out and her agent Huvane is known to buy these awards for his clients for publicity.
Plus I cannot comprehend how Sandra, who seems to love her son, is BFF with a known racist Chelsea Handler. Chelsea has not only called people racist slurs – she has even called celeb children racist names like monkey and Eskimo. That friendship is making be doubt whatever Sandra is saying.
Her friendship makes me side eye her. I always found Sandra a bit strange.. not sure why but there is something I don’t know. She seem nice and all.
But I saw the announcement and it was just so MEH. They didn’t spend much time on her at all. Anyway safe choice and people will applaud it but move on.
Her ex-husband is also a weird choice
Everyone in the field knows who real Sandra is, no one ever speaks about it. That’s the shortest answer to your wondering. If she loves her son, I won’t speculate, I prefer to think she does. But the rest is façade.
spill the gossip!
I really wanted Viola Davis to be the cover winner. Hit show, potential Emmy winner, casted in Suicide Squad and an interesting interview.
That would have been nice.
Yes! Viola is on a roll right now. Sandy peaked in 2008.
Taraji! That is all.
This.
Love her! So glad she’s finally getting recognition. Her photo is gorgeous!
She returned to Person of Interest for a recent ep and I cried. Glad she has such success on Empire but I still miss Carter.
Me too.
I was going to bitch, but maybe they’re considering the personality, and it’s always nice to see it being considered on a woman (although I know that in business it’s all about promotion).
ugh im so sick of celebs NEGOTIATING with People Mag for that title and how much of their private life they want to talk about in exchange and then act totally embarassed and self deprecating “oh my, who would have thought? its ridiculous, isnt it?”
its like i buy an academic title online and then act modest about it.
Perfect choice…beauty both inside and out. Love her, love that she’s a good and involved mom.
Meh.
I should have just +1’d the hell out of this and left it at that.
I do appreciate that People Magazine is staying true to its editorial mission by honoring the amazing amongst us. Sandra is a very normal woman, who happens to act. She’s also a ‘real’ beauty, and not some engineered by product of a dermatologist and surgeon. In other words, she’s no Kardashian. She excels at her job, she seems to have an old school view of privacy and appropriateness, and she clearly loves her child and is parenting him herself. She donates her time and wealth to causes she believes in such as rehabbing post-Katrina schools, and she does it without a slew of PR hired guns. Attitudinally, she has a reputation for being unfailingly kind, you never hear her slamming other celebrities, and she’s self deprecating. Yeah, she’s normal, but better.
Great choice, People, and a great role model for what beauty should be all about.
Great shill.
You’re welcome!
@Tracy: Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep to all of what you wrote!
Why is it so hard to believe that she could actually be as nice & down-to-earth as she seems? And I think she is stunning! A real natural beauty (even if she has been “freshened up”, which hasn’t altered her features at all if true). She’s definitely one of my favorites, and has been for a long time. 🙂
Laverne Cox? That’s not boring, that’s groundbreaking! I’m so happy for her – she’s such a trailblazer. I would never think it was possible for a trans woman to be on the most beautiful list. Way to go, Laverne!
No. Hasn’t done enough in the past twelve months to warrant the award. If we’re talking most beautiful person in mainstream show business (and we are) then it needs to go to someone who has dominated both old and new media.
As much as I love Sandra Bullock she’s no great beauty. People should just retire this and Sexiest Man ( I know that’s not happening ).
My love for Sandy has diminished more than a little since I found out she hangs with Chelsea Handler. Not feeling People’s choice this year. ScarJo would’ve been a better choice. BTW, SB does have something to promote…Minions movie coming out in mid-May.
I agree and ScarJo truly is beautiful. She has grown into herself.
IMHO, the whole most beautiful woman/sexiest man People mag thing is just dumb. Especially now that I know the person has to accept the ‘honor’. Their ‘humility’ at being chosen makes me laugh. Sandra’s been around over 20 years!
I don’t think Sandra Bullock is beautiful but good for her.
I thought it would be Sofia V.It would be nice to see some diversity.In 26 years they have had one Latina, JLo and 3 Blacks, Halle,Beyonce and Lupita.I would love to see a person of Asian ancestry make the cover one day.
Sandra is fine and safe.I guess she hasn’t adopted another child since she would have mentioned that in the article.
Tabloids wrong again
Sandra Bullock is cute, well photoshopped on this cover, but not beautiful. It must be her turn.
Why is the idea that she might not have REALLY known Jesse that hard to believe? Are you telling me that each and everyone of you has not only NEVER been blindsided (hehehe) by a person, but always has them known and completely figured out? You e never cut off a friend or relative because EVENTUALLY, they turned out not to be who you thought they were? If so, why is she exempt from that experience ? Because she’s “Sandra Bullock”??
Why is the idea that you could express the same idea without copying and pasting your original comment so hard to believe?
She wanted to repeat it – so what? No need to have an attitude. Whether you like Sandra B or not it’s still a valid point. Geez
@Tify I was being sarcastic but I forgot that sarcasm doesn’t always go over well on the Internet, my mistake.
I had a friend blindsided by the most unimaginable story ever of the hidden life of a serious boyfriend. It ended up far past catching him cheating, which he was. We were all blindsided into how far he would go in his lies to explain away everything when it came out, like calling her to tell her he was getting married, all the while they were boyfriend and girlfriend and she had even tried to help him while he was getting an advanced degree, even though she was just out of college herself? He tried to call her mother and give bizarre reasons all of this was happening. They had been making plans for their future and here he had a long-distance girlfriend he was keeping on the side and had been planning a wedding and only came clean a few weeks before the wedding. LOL It boggled the mind, and it was like did she ever really know this person? No.
and this has to do with……what? Is there a hidden meaning to this tale?
Stop with the Photoshopping! This is all so contrived I just can’t be excited. Sandy seems great. And I enjoy killing time by reading about the industry, but it seems to me that fans count less and popular appeal is irrelevant. It’s all just a business deal by people who no longer see the fans as a vital part of this equation.
If you saw these ‘beauties’ fresh out of the shower, well, they wouldn’t count for much more than average, for the most part. Photos of ‘celebs’ have been manipulated since time immemorial.
If she thought it was ‘ridiculous’ why did she agree er ‘negotiate’ to be it?
Boring!! Boo to both of them. Where is Viola Davis?????
Taraji looks amazing in that photo.
A year already??!!!
Time is really flying, and it’s scary.
It honestly feels like Lupita got the same award only last month.
I love her, great choice. Her son is adorable.
Vanessa “The Grinch” Hudgens??? What the what???
“The people I find most beautiful are the ones who aren’t trying.”
Truer words never spoken.
As far as her being chosen, it really wasn’t the year of Sandy as far as big roles. Usually, that’s the case, so I don’t get this choice. I love her, though. It should have been someone a little more out of left field. As far as I’m concerned, Helen Mirren would have been an amazing choice.
Sandra Bullock is OK but most beautiful I don’t think so. In Hollywood having money, good PR, and popularity makes you beautiful.
I’m just glad it wasn’t a Kardashian or a Jenner.
Hear hear! I think Sandra is a decent role model. And girls aren’t going to injure themselves taking any stupid beauty challenges, like they are with KJ.
Charlize Theron is the most beautiful.
Must I teach you everything?
Sigh.
Charlize is a big meanie and married to a jerk so as women, we’re supposed to hate her.
Sandy is nice, pleasantly dull and unthreatening so as women, we must all adore her.
Lol. I love the sarcasm. That’s how people judge women. The funny thing is people don’t know Charlize or Sandra’s personalities. They don’t know them. Charlize is just a gorgeous, strong, intimidating woman who doesn’t put on fake smiles and care about what everyone thinks of her. Sandra wants everyone to like her all the time.
Lol, Kitten. But say what you will about her personality, Charlize is gorgeous.
JMO, this cover had Sofia Vergara written all over it, given that her movie is coming out soon, but the frozen embryos/Nick Loeb story put a kibosh on it.
People Magazine didn’t want that fertility/destroying fertilized embryos/creepy ex-fiance baggage on their Most Beautiful double issue.
She’s beautiful, talented and over 40 which makes this cover amazing. What doesn’t make it amazing is that terrible photo. She is so photogenic, how could they pic that shot? Terrible.