Benjamin Bratt looked back fondly on his time working with Sandra Bullock in the 2000 comedy, Miss Congeniality.
At the Los Angeles premiere of his new Prime Video movie Balls upshared the actor E! News that Bullock was “one of the nicest people” he’s ever worked with.
“I remember Sandy at the helm as a producer and as the star of the film,” Bratt said.
“She was brave and willing to go after anything.”
He noted that Bullock’s leadership created an environment where he and their co-stars, including Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, William Shatner and Heather Burns, felt comfortable taking creative risks.
“That’s really the beauty of being in a situation where the safety net is built in,” Bratt explained. “It encourages you as a performer to just jump off the cliff and see what happens.”
The risks paid off, with Miss Congeniality became a box office hit and spawned the 2005 sequel Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous.
Although Bratt did not return for the sequel, he credits Bullock’s comedic fearlessness for the franchise’s enduring popularity.
“It really holds up because of Sandy and what she did with it,” he said, adding that her willingness to be silly and make fun of herself set the tone for the cast and crew.
Reflecting on Bullock’s influence, Bratt concluded, “She leads from the top. If you start the workday with an essence of fun, then hopefully the results will fall into line.”
