Sandra Bullock is sharing some rare insight into a turbulent period in her life, when she went through her divorce from Jesse James.
The actress, 62, was married to the Monster Garage host, 57, from 2005 to 2010. They met when her 10-year-old godson, who was a fan, got to meet Jesse as a birthday present.
© InstagramHowever, things came crumbling down in 2010 when multiple women came forward alleging that he'd been having affairs while still married to Sandra. He eventually put out a statement apologizing to the actress and his family, and entered rehab. Sandra filed for divorce in April 2010.
It was also during that period of time that she'd finalized the process of adopting her son Louis, although kept his arrival a secret from the rest of the world until months later.
"He came at the very end of 2009," Sandra clarified in a new interview with Jennifer Aniston for Interview Magazine. She also explained that the process of making Gravity, which was released in 2013, proved cathartic as well, dealing with the fallout of her divorce while also raising Louis.
"It was during a really dark time in my life," she noted, calling the filming experience a particularly "meaningful" one. "I was raising and protecting a little smurf while I was trying to grieve, trying to get out of it."
The Practical Magic 2 star looked back on how she was able to evade the public eye with Louis after learning that her husband had cheated on her. "I was just cleaning out the closet, and I found these hockey bags for stuffing clothes in for travel," she recalled.
© Getty ImagesSandra quipped: "Child Protective Services, do not come after me, but when the poop hit the fan for me, when, we know what that is, I realized I had to get out of the house because the paparazzi were going to descend, and no one knew I had a newborn."
"So I put him in his car carrier, put it in the hockey bag, and zipped the hockey bag around him. Then I carried the hockey bag to the car, as though I was just carrying any random hockey bag."
Jennifer asked further about how she navigates being a private person in the spotlight, which Sandra likened to operating "like the CIA." She continued: "If you're surrounded by good people, you'll be fine."
© Getty Images"But if people near you mean you harm, no matter how covert you are and how much pre-planning you do, your privacy is information that brings them cash. I had it happen recently and it broke my heart."
She added: "I wish I could be a little looser. I would like to not be so worried," further highlighting her desire for privacy elsewhere in the interview, something she says has followed her since she was just a child.
© Getty Images"I've been insanely private since I was a little kid. I drove my mother crazy. That's just inherently who I am. I love being in a safe group."
