Sandra Bullock appeared at CinemaCon last week to hype Practical Magic 2. This will be her first big promotional tour since 2022, which is when she was out and about for The Lost City (with Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe). In 2023, her partner Bryan Randall passed away after a battle with ALS. Sandy stopped working for several years, just focusing on healing and her children. A source recently told People Mag that: “After everything she went through with Bryan, she needed time to care for herself. She spent a lot of time healing, being with her kids and being at home. She needed to ensure that she and her kids were in the best possible place for her to go back to work.” She did what she needed to do and she absolutely has the support of everyone in Hollywood. While she was away, a lot happened in Hollywood though, and Hollywood is still reckoning with all of this AI bullsh-t. Well, Sandra Bullock is apparently pro-AI. She spoke about it the CNBC Changemakers Summit:
Sandra Bullock appeared at the CNBC Changemakers Summit alongside Warner Bros. Pictures co-chair and CEO Pam Abdy and was asked about the intersection of Hollywood and AI. The Oscar winner said the industry needs to lean into it.
The topic of AI came up when moderator Julia Boorstin noted all the AI-generated fan trailers that have been circulating for “Practical Magic 2,” which Bullock stars in and produces for Abdy’s Warner Bros. The movie is set to open in theaters this fall.
“I know it’s not great, but it’s also exciting, because that means that there’s a desire for it and that means that people want to come and play with the movie. And that’s exciting,” Abdy said about the AI trailers.
When asked if it’s “weird” to see people using AI to recreate her image, Bullock quipped: “Well, there could be worse [things] with my image!” She then said on a more serious note: “But it’s here. We have to observe it. We have to understand it. We have to lean into it. We have to use it in a really constructive and creative way, make it our friend rather than — I mean, we have to be incredibly cautious and aware of it because there are people who will use it for evil and not good. But I do feel that there’s a place for it… It’s here. We have to just be friends in some dark way.”
They’re comparing Bullock’s comments to Reese Witherspoon’s recent rah-rah-AI-girlboss comments. Reese’s comments came off as tone-deaf and likely part of some undercover spon-con or business opportunity for her. Sandra sounds more wary of AI. I also think that for someone like Sandra, who is 61 years old, she’s probably like “hey, this isn’t my generation’s problem.” Like, let the youths figure out this f–king AI mess. Between Sandra and Reese’s comments, some have suggested that some AI company possibly held a luncheon or some kind of investment presentation for Hollywood women. That seems very likely too.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Getty Images.
