Much has been made about Oscar winner Sandra Bullock’s ties to the college town of Austin, Texas, where the star has retreated to avoid the paparazzi’s glare since her divorce from Jesse James. But on Tuesday (August 31), Bullock appeared on the “Today” show to discuss her love for New Orleans, where she has found another home.

Bullock, in her first televised interview since her split with James, told host Matt Lauer that the Big Easy has always been a comfortable place for her, somewhere she has gone often to visit, ring in the new year and most recently, the place where she finalized her adoption of son Louis.

But the reason she was there this week was to celebrate the successful rebuilding of the Warren Easton Charter High School, which suffered more than $4 million in damage five years ago this week during Hurricane Katrina. She sat next to Arthur Hardy, a New Orleans Mardi Gras expert and Easton board member, who said he laughed when Bullock called with an offer to help help, thinking someone was pulling his leg.

“She found us … [and] called me on a Sunday afternoon,” he said, laughing.

“I like to cold-call people, people who I think are outstanding community members … how you doin’?” Bullock joked. (more…)

Singer Harry Connick Junior has described his pal Sandra Bullock as an ‘incredible woman’ whom he would ‘thank God’ to have as a wife.

The actor and jazz pianist gushed about the Oscar-winning actress as he discussed her relentless commitment to his beloved home city of New Orleans, devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

When asked by talk show host Larry King about Bullock’s recent traumas over the breakdown of her marriage, Connick Jnr – who is happily married – seemed to send out a stark message to her cheating soon-to-be-ex-husband Jesse James.

“I think Sandy is an incredible woman and she doesn’t need my prayers, she’s so strong,’ he said, during Friday night’s special episode to mark the five-year anniversary of the deadly hurricane. ‘I pray for her and I send her emails and tell her I love her and I hope she’s doing well‘.

‘That woman is one of the fiercest, strongest most dedicated people I know. It’s sucks, man. Let’s put it this way, if she was my wife I would be on my knees thanking God that I had a woman like that. Everybody’s different but I know her pretty well. Like my wife now, I wouldn’t screw that up for all the money in the world, for anything.‘

Pointing to his own wedding ring, he added: ‘This means a lot. It’s a pretty serious commitment, I’m not passing judgment on anyone but whoever ends up with her (Bullock) for good is gonna be one lucky son of a gun‘.

‘I know her son doesn’t even know how lucky he is.‘

Source: Dailymail

Sandra Bullock will be talking about education and health in New Orleans on NBC’s “Today” show.

NBC announced Wednesday that the Oscar-winning actress will sit down with “Today” host Matt Lauer on Tuesday.

The interview will take place at Warren Easton Charter High School in New Orleans. Bullock will discuss the opening this month of the school’s on-campus health clinic that she helped fund.

Bullock had spent time in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina with former husband Jesse James. She has adopted a baby who was born there.

Warner Bros. and Paramount are eyeing Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks for the feature version of post- 9/11 drama “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” with Scott Rudin producing.

Warners, the lead studio on the project, indicated it has made offers to the thesps but is not yet in formal negotiations. And the studios have not yet greenlit the project. The Jonathan Safran Foer novel, set in 2003, centers on a 9-year-old boy who finds a key in a vase that belongs to his father — who perished in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks — and searches to find the lock that goes with it. It was one of the first American novels to incorporate the Sept. 11 events into the plot.

Rudin has been developing the project since 2005, when “Extremely Loud” was published. Eric Roth has adapted the novel and Stephen Daldry is attached to direct.

Should Bullock sign on, it would be her first role since “The Blind Side.” Hanks will next be seen opposite Julia Roberts in U’s comedy-drama “Larry Crowne,” which he also directed and produced.

Source: Variety

Sandra Bullock is offering words of welcome as her ex-husband Jesse James prepares to move to her adopted hometown in Texas.

“I support Jesse in his move to Austin,” the Oscar winner, 46, tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story. “We have both moved on with our lives and only want the best for each other. Anything else that is said on my behalf is inaccurate.”

For Bullock, moving on includes finalizing her adoption of 8-month-old son Louis on Aug. 13 surrounded by friends and her sister Gesine in a New Orleans courtroom. “She is so in love with her child,” says a source.

As for motorcycle CEO James, 41 – who recently stepped out in Las Vegas with LA Ink star Kat Von D. – he too is starting to move on in the wake of the cheating scandal that led to his June divorce from Bullock, according to a James source.

“I think he’s starting to grasp reality a bit more,” says the source, “and the realization that it’s going to take a lot longer and a lot more than he thought to bring things back to what they were.”

For much more on this story, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

Added the first two pictures I found of Sandy accepting the the Choice Movie Actress: Drama award onstage during the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. More will be added asap.

Public Appearances > Appearances in 2010 > August 08th – 2010 Teen Choice Awards – Show

Edit: New HQ pictures added!
Remember that new pictures will be added to our new gallery. I’m still moving the old content to the new one, and I won’t pretend to add anything more to the older one .

Sandra Bullock is Hollywood’s leading lady, after topping a list of highest paid actresses.

The Oscar-winning actress was propelled to the top of Tinseltown’s female earners’ league following roles in box office hits The Proposal and The Blind Side, which earned her a reported 56 million US dollars over the past 12 months.

Reese Witherspoon and Knight And Day actress Cameron Diaz shared second place in the list compiled by Forbes.com, banking around 32 million dollars each.

While Reese hasn’t been seen on screen since 2008′s Four Christmases, her status was cemented by forthcoming films How Do You Know and the big-screen adaptation of Water For Elephants, in which she features alongside Twilight star Robert Pattinson.

Coming in fourth was Jennifer Aniston, followed by Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts and Angelina Jolie.

Completing the top ten are Drew Barrymore, Meryl Streep and Kristen Stewart.

The Forbes.com list features earnings from films and other ventures, such as beauty ranges and advertising.

And in another set of mugginess, what is happening with the Be the One, Restore the Gulf campaign? It is looking as if Bullock and friends were duped by Big Oil.

Reports are now suggesting a connection between the campaign to save the region and BP. What is going on behind the scenes here? In a post at Huffington Post. It seems Sandra was alerted about the campaign ties, and her representatives will ask for her participation on PSA be removed:

Ms. Bullock was originally contacted through her attorney to be a part of the PSA in order to promote awareness of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. At no time was she made aware that any organization, oil company or otherwise had influence over Women of the Storm or its message. We have immediately asked for her participation in the PSA be removed until the facts can be determined. Her commitment to the Gulf region has been apparent for many years and she will continue to pursue opportunities that will bring awareness and support to the plight of the Gulf region.

Sources: 1, 2