iVillage

Oscars' Golden Girls: The Class of 2010

Meryl! Mo'Nique! Sandra! Get the lowdown on the women vying for the Academy Award (12 Photos)

Louise Barile on Feb 5, 2010 at 6:00AM

22 chimes

Single View
View All

1 of 12

Jason Merritt/Getty Images for VH1

Sandra Bullock

Nomination: Best Actress for The Blind Side

Tired of all the poorly written roles she was reading, Sandra Bullock, who became a household name with 1994's Speed, nearly left Hollywood for good. "I almost quit acting. And I decided to come back only if I could do what I wanted. Start over again. Go to auditions," recalled the 45-year-old actress at the SAG Awards, where she picked up a trophy for outstanding lead actress (and thanked her "hot" husband, Jesse James). "What's amazing is that this business doesn't always give you a second chance, but I'm just so grateful that I got one." She's now considered the front-runner to win Best Actress honors for her portrayal of a foster mother who encourages a homeless teen's talent for football in The Blind Side -- a role that Julia Roberts turned down.