It was over 10 years ago that Sandra Bullock first realized that she was the subject of sexism in Hollywood. The actress did not reveal what movie she was doing, nor did she say who was involved and what exactly happened, but she did say that it was the worst thing that she experienced in her career.
"I was actually doing a film about 10 years ago, and I found myself yelling and being angry," she revealed during an interview with Variety. "And I was like, 'What is happening to me?' I was literally fearful. And I realized, it's because I'm female. It dawned on me. At that day and age, at that point in my career, it was the worst experience I ever had."
Bullock said that the incident "destroyed" her because there was no way people "can't unsee something."
"Was I so naïve up to this point to actually think that I was on an equal level with everybody?" she questioned. "It was the way I was being treated, because I was female, versus the way others were being treated. It took me a while. It took a year and a half, where I regrouped, and thought, 'Okay, this is an isolated case.'"
The award-winning actress cannot deny that the incident did not repeat itself again, but Bullock said that other incidents were more simply more subtle and "nothing that blatant."
As horrible as making that film was, Bullock still considers it a blessing because it opened her eyes to the truth. Bullock realized that it wasn't just men who were biased towards women, since women were doing the exact same thing.
"It's a bigger issue than money. I know we're focused on the money part right now. That's just a byproduct," she explained. "I keep saying, 'Why is it that no one is standing up and saying you can't say that about a woman?' We're mocked and judged in the media and articles. Really, how men are described in articles versus women, there's a big difference."
Bullock often jokes that when stars hit the red carpet, women would be asked about their dress and hair, while men would be questioned about his performance in a movie and political issues.
"Once we start shifting how we perceive women and stop thinking about them as 'less than,' the pay disparity will take care of itself. There's a much bigger issue at hand. I'm glad Hollywood got caught," she said.
