The ‘horrific’ moment Sandra Bullock decided to ‘pull the plug’ on acting during Bryan Randall’s ALS battle

Sandra Bullock revealed the moment she decided to “pull the plug” on acting as her partner, Bryan Randall, battled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

“When Bryan got sick, after ‘Lost City,’ I was like, ‘I can’t.’ I thought I was going to have a little bit of a mental issue. I was like, ‘I can’t, I can’t, I can’t,’” the “Miss Congeniality” actress recently recalled on the “SmartLess” podcast.

“I came for the reshoot on a couple of hours’ sleep and I remember walking in and everyone went, ‘What, what, did you not sleep?!’” she shared.

“I looked so bad, and when I say so bad, like my face, it was horrific. I could maybe manage four hours of the reshoot and they were like, ‘Can you just give us [another take]?’ I was like, ‘I can’t, I can’t, I’ve got to go home.’ And I went home.”

Bullock, 62, said the studio had to spend a lot of money to “fix” her face to match the rest of the film digitally.

“It was a horror show,” she shared.

It was at that moment that the “Blind Side” star decided to take a break from acting.

“So I did that and then I just pulled the plug. I said I can’t anymore. I have nothing to give right now. Nothing. Zero,” she said.

In August 2023, Randall’s family announced that he had “passed away peacefully” after a “private” three-year battle with ALS. He was 57.

“It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS,” his family shared.

“Bryan chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honor his request,” they added.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, per Mayo Clinic.

Randall’s tragic death sparked a massive 500 percent spike in ALS donations.

A source told People that Bullock had “seen the incredible outpouring of support toward ALS research since Bryan’s passing.”

The “Proposal” star has kept a low profile since Randall’s passing. In November 2025, she broke cover for the first time in almost a year when she was spotted driving in Los Angeles with her son, Louis.

In April, Bullock attended her first red carpet in more than four years.

Earlier this month, the Oscar winner broke her silence about Randall’s death, saying that he asked her not to share his diagnosis with the public.

“I think where he was in his journey, both physically and mentally, I started grieving Bryan four years before he passed,” she said on the “SmartLess” podcast. “There was something that had shifted.”

“My person left a lot earlier than the body left. I don’t think I ever dealt with that until after he passed, because you’re just on this treadmill,” Bullock added.

The “Bird Box” star, who is a mom to adopted kids Louis, 16, and Laila, 12, said she had to have difficult conversations with her children about Randall’s illness.

Bullock and Randall met in January 2015 when he photographed the actress’ son’s birthday party.

In October of that year, they made their red carpet debut at the premiere of Bullock’s film “Our Brand Is Crisis.”