Sandra Bullock Earned a Real Bus License for Speed: ‘It’s Not an Easy Vehicle to Maneuver’

Sandra Bullock Earned a Real Bus License for Speed: ‘It’s Not an Easy Vehicle to Maneuver’

The actress recently reunited with director Jan de Bont and co-star Keanu Reeves to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their iconic film.

Sandra Bullock’s dedication to her role in Speed went above and beyond when she took the wheel—literally. At a special screening and Q&A event at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre, Bullock joined director Jan de Bont and co-star Keanu Reeves to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1994 action-thriller. During the discussion, Bullock revealed she obtained a real bus driver’s license for the role, reflecting on the challenges and excitement of being behind the wheel.

“The fun part was being in control of the bus,” Bullock said, though she admitted someone else was actually driving from the roof for safety reasons during intense action scenes. “I did get my Santa Monica bus driver’s license. It’s not an easy vehicle to maneuver, but that added to the realism. You didn’t know what was coming—you just felt the impact.”

At the time of Speed, Bullock was relatively new to Hollywood, which she humorously acknowledged, theorizing that her lack of fame made her a safer casting choice. “‘Cause if you killed me, I wasn’t a big actor at the time,” she joked. “The headline would’ve been, ‘Actor dies in stunt in a Keanu Reeves movie.’”

Despite her inexperience, Bullock was thrilled to land the role, though she admitted it was nerve-wracking. “I was the new kid on the block. I was excited, but I never thought I’d get the part. The only reason I did is because someone fought for me,” she shared, before joking, “Well, other people turned it down, and then—”

De Bont quickly interrupted, insisting that Bullock had been the right choice from the start. “When I saw you, I knew you would be the driver,” he assured her, drawing laughter from the audience.

Sandra Bullock Earned a Real Bus License for Speed: ‘It’s Not an Easy Vehicle to Maneuver’

The film, which became a massive hit, follows Reeves’ character, LAPD officer Jack Traven, as he attempts to prevent a city bus from exploding after it’s rigged with a bomb by a vengeful extortionist. Bullock’s character, Annie, finds herself behind the wheel, adding tension and excitement to the high-stakes plot. The reunion event was part of Beyond Fest and marked the first time Bullock, Reeves, and de Bont had shared a stage to reflect on the film.

De Bont expressed his admiration for the chemistry between his leading actors. “Watching the movie again tonight, I’ve never been more proud of these two. What they did for me—often outside their comfort zones—was unbelievable. The bond they created on screen felt so real. All the emotions, the laughter, the little smooches—it was perfect. I had to tell them how amazing they both were.”

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